247 Days
by qhostwriter
Summary: 47 Seconds is less than a minute, but can it set the ground work for a life time? Rated T/M for later chapters. This story may contain spoilers from promos but I don't watch sneak peaks.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1 - Is it the beginning or is the end?**_

_**Disclaimer – not mine, go with the number of days. I had to pick something.**_

_**Props to my proofer who helps me stay on track.**_

Chanting in her head _"Deep breath, deep breath" _as she lifted her hand to knock. Kate was certain of only one thing, she wasn't leaving until she got some answers. Castle had been distant, verbally vicious and racing around town in the Ferrari with cloned blonde bimbos. Kate hated degrading other women through negative stereo typing, but there really was no other way to describe Castle's latest string of female companionship.

The door swung open.

"Martha, um Hi – is he here?"

Giving Kate a quizzical look, Martha replied."No."

"Would it be okay if I came in and waited?"

"I don't think that would be the best idea."

Gritting her teeth and huffing out a breath of air, "Is he on a date?"

"Yes."

Kate pleaded with her eyes, "I would really like to wait."

"I'm sorry Kate." Martha began to slowly shutting the door.

Kate wedged her hip against the closing door. "Martha, please don't make me grovel. I can't fix this if he won't talk to me."

Martha searched Kate's face, "I am not sure you can 'fix it.'"

Clenching her fists at her side, her eyes grew bright with moisture, "I would like to try."

Opening the door wider, Martha replied, "I hope I am doing the right thing. Go wait in his study; best if Alexis doesn't see you."

Kate whispered, "Thank you," as she trudged to his study. Slipping out of her coat she settled into the cold warmth of Castle's worn leather chair.

* * *

><p>Kate was unsure how she could have dozed off, but the clicking of the turning door knob startled her. She quickly smoothed her hands across her thighs and began to rise to her feet and then she heard laughter. Not one set of laughing but two. Fuck.<p>

Setting her feet firmly on the ground, Kate steeled herself as the light flooded the room and a tangle of laughing bodies tumbled through the door. "Hey Castle."

Castle untangled his arm from around his date's waist, "Becket?"

Hoping her tone was even, "Hi." It came out as a question, not a statement.

Scrubbing his hands across his face and wearily rubbing the back of his neck, "I think you should leave."

"Not until I say what I came to say."

Gesturing to the slightly intoxicated blonde propped up against the doorway, "I have company."

Kate stood her ground, "I see that; maybe you can call her cab."

"Maybe I can call you a cab." He snarled.

The blonde slouched forward to lean on Castle, "I should go."

Castle wrapped a possessive arm around his date. "You should stay. Beckett will be going."

Kate crossed her arms and sat back down, "Staying."

Turning to his date, "I apologize for the intrusion, but perhaps it would be best if we called it a night."

* * *

><p>It felt like an eternity waiting for Castle to return to his study. If the study hadn't had open shelves into the living room Kate would have convinced herself that he had left. Castle sat on the couch swirling a two finger scotch, occasionally sniffing, but never tasting it.<p>

Her heart slowed as he pulled himself to his feet. Kate felt the weight of his grief with each step he took towards the study and her.

Her heart quickened as he nudged the door open. His silhouette filled the door way, the lack of internal light made it impossible to see his face. She didn't need to, Kate knew his face was a reflection of his stance, shoulders slightly curled, hands jammed in his pockets and shuffling feet.

Kate managed to squeak out, "Please sit with me."

Castle silently answered by joining her in the accompanying chair.

It was on her, all on her. "I replayed every minute of the past few days, leading up to your obvious distaste for me." Words catching in her throat, "I came to one conclusion, you watched the interrogation of Lopez." It was a statement not a question. "You know I remember."

Silence hung in the air like the smell of burning flesh.

"Yes I watched and yes I know why you lied."

"Yes, I did." As horrible as it was to confirm her lie out loud, it was liberating to admit.

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Kate wondered to herself he knew she loved him? "You know why I did it?"

"You were/are embarrassed that you don't feel the same way and you are too much of a coward to admit it."

Kate began gnawing on her bottom lip, "That's what you think?"

"That is what I know. You can leave now."

"What if you are wrong?"

"I am not wrong."

"You are."

"I would like you to leave."

Kate rose for a moment before dropping heavily to her knees in front of Castle. Resting her hands on his knees, begging him with her eyes to listen, "What I did was cowardly – to lie to you, day in and day out. I've been in a constant struggle with how to move forward."

Squeezing his thighs only to have him curl his fingers around hers wrists to remove them, "With each passing day I hoped you would say it again so I could say it in return. So you knew that I loved you before I told you I lied. It obviously hasn't worked out that way."

His face contorted and he spat out his words like a snake releasing venom, "You don't love me."

"I do. Loathe me for lying, end our partnership over my deceit but…" climbing to her feet and poking him in the chest "…do not..." shouting in a whispered tone through clenched teeth, "...DO NOT tell me I don't love you."

Castle crossed his arms, closed his eyes and whispered, "Get out."

Kate grabbed her coat and stalked out of the study. Half way to the front door she realized she wasn't done, Kate wasn't letting him shut the door.

Returning to face Castle, Kate caught and held his eyes with her own. "Let me be clear. I am not walking out on you. I am not walking out on us. I am leaving to give you time to think. I have had 247 days to know you love me, to picture the future I would like to have with you. And now I am giving _you_ 247 days."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2 – Ask Her**_

**_Disclaimer - not mine. _**

There are things in life you don't tell your mother, brother or your man. Things you reserve for your best girl. The moments that make you recognize who you are and who you want to be, all at the same time. This was Kate's moment.

Kate unlocked her apartment door to the welcome sight of Lanie and two glasses of wine. She had promised to be waiting for Kate, and the ME's sharp focus left no room for pleasantries..

Lanie "How did it go?"

Gnawing on her lip, "Not sure." Kate replied.

Lanie was a hugger, by nature she would run across the room to secure Kate within her arms. "_Good_ not sure or _bad _not sure?"

Pacing in her doorway Kate unbuttoned her coat, "He didn't think I loved him."

"Ahh, honey."

Kate slowed her pacing to look Lanie in the eye, "I told him I did."

"That's a start." Lanie prayed Kate could see that the shades of life that weren't cut and dry. Life was made up shades of grey not black and white.

Unzipping her boots, Kate carelessly kicked them to the side. So unBeckett –like, a woman with a time and place for everything. "There was so much more I wanted to say, to explain – but when he said I hadn't said anything because I don't feel the same way – my emotions took over." Shaking her head in disappointment, "Not what I planned."

Lanie sipped on her wine; she knew a meeting between Rick and Kate, beyond the safety of the 12th wouldn't go as 'planned'. How could a long overdue conversation between Rick Castle and Kate Beckett possibly follow a script?

Out of love Lanie pushed on, knowing she was wading into waters that might drown her. "Kate, you told him you love him, you actually said the word _'love' _and _'I'_ and '_you'_ in the same sentence?"

Crumpling into the couch, Kate lamented, "Yes. Right before he said _'get out'_."

Lanie handed Kate the waiting glass of wine, Kate picked it up to swirl the red wine in its vessel watching the fingers of the wine leave a sugary trail as it dripped down the sides of the glass.

Pushing further into the pool, Lanie questioned her friend, "But you told him?"

Propped up on trembling elbows, with a voice that cracked in betrayal Kate huffed out her deepest fear, "Yes. Not sure he believed me."

The one thing Lanie was certain of in the complicated relationship of Rick and Kate was, "He believed you – it's all that man has wanted to hear from you since the moment he told you. Writer Boy needs time to process it."

"I gave him 247 days."

"247 days?"

Cupping her hand beneath her chin, Kate mumbled at first. Fighting to find her voice "Yes, that is how long I have known, known for sure he said it."

Lanie knew that she herself had been there to knock Castle off of Kate. At first Castle covered Kate's body with his own, most likely to protect her in case another round followed the first. A second bullet to finish the job the first one left in question. Lanie had heard the strangled cries of love, that day Kate lay bleeding on the grass. "Known for sure?"

"The first days of recovery I drifted in and out of reality. My mom came to visit; she told me to fight. I watched as you pounded on my chest, heard you threaten me not to die. I heard Josh in the operating room say, _'that's my girlfriend. '_ My dad sobbing at my bedside, repeating, _'Katie,Katie'_ over and over again. I saw Rick leaning over me telling me he loved me. I was holding Captain Montgomery as he took his last breaths. Esposito and Ryan yelling at the paramedics, _'Get her in the bus! Get her in the bus! _as they ran beside my gurney. All those moments were ugly sliced segments in a horror movie churning through my mind."

Lanie listened in silence as her friend's eyes turned from hazel to brown, moistened by unshed tears.

"At first I wasn't sure if it was the meds, the trauma or a combination of the two – but it took some time to unravel it all. I was reeling, couldn't tell fact from fiction. And then..."

As Kate voice began to waver, and her eyes revealed her drifting away, Lanie gently encouraged her friend. "No stopping now girl, get it out." Lanie swallowed her emotion, this was Kate's time. They could cry together later.

"…Rick came to visit. He looked like a grown man trapped in a school boy's body, there to ask his first crush out on a date. His voice was so tender, he was so scared he might say the wrong thing – his confidence was shaking but his eyes…why hadn't I recognized it before? It had been there for so long."

"What?"

"Love and all that it stands for and in that moment I knew it wasn't part of a dream that he said _'I love you.'_ He HAD said it and I was spinning. Now that I knew it was true, not a dream I didn't know what to do with it."

* * *

><p>Martha had watched as Kate had rushed to escape the loft only to return to the study for a few brief moments and then leave for good. An aborted exit, return and final departure were classic signs of wanting the last word. Every play Martha had ever been in used that formula at some point in the story, planned dramatic effect. But from the look on Kate's face, Martha didn't believe Kate was seeking a dramatic impact, she was fighting for something, someone.<p>

Martha picked up the abandoned glass of scotch as she headed towards her son. She thought of knocking, but wasn't prepared to be denied entrance; entering without asking was the best approach.

"Richard?"

Slouching further into the comfortable hold of his chair, "If I told you to go away would it do any good?"

"No."

"Then, by all means come in, Mother."

Martha crossed the room with the steps of a mother who knew her son was breaking, not an actress making an entrance, "I let Beckett in, it seemed important that she speak with you."

Unwilling to give away the chaos of emotion that was stopping and starting his heart,, Rick responded, "Of course you did, I doubt Alexis would have."

Ignoring the snide tone in her son's voice, Martha ventured on, "Was it important?"

"Perhaps."

Knowing that she knew nothing at all, Martha approached from a neutral position, "Sounds promising."

"She said she loved me."

Reaching out to touch him, to let him know she felt his pain, "Isn't that what you always wanted?"

"I thought so," he replied as he covered her fingers with his.

"Oh Richard, don't do this to yourself or her."

Sitting up in his chair, Rick challenged his Mother, "Do what?"

"Pretend like Kate doesn't matter."

Rick withdrew his hand from hers, clamping his hand around the arm of his chair, "She said she pictured a future with me. An 'us.'"

A mother's role was so complicated, twisted with the need to push and pull. Now was the time to push. "And that's a bad thing?"

"I need to know how we got here."

"Ask her."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – In Sync**

**Disclaimer - Not Mine.**

Castle casually leaned up against the exterior of the precinct carefully scanning the oncoming foot track as New Yorkers headed for work, as Martha Rodger parting words echoed in his head:

'_Richard, remember – You, too, have what many would judge as a 'sin of omission.' The graciousness with which you approach Beckett this morning may serve you well in the future.' _

He checked his watch again, she was running late. Had he missed her?

Looking up from his watch Castle caught sight of Kate walking arm in arm with Lanie. The two wore serious faces, with their heads tilted towards each other in an effort to hear what the other was saying. Kate was wearing sunglasses, she never wore sunglasses, except during their few short days in LA. Even then she didn't favor them, claimed they interfered with her field of vision.

Lanie must have said something funny. Kate cracked a small smile and held up her pinky. The girls conducting the time honored tradition of a pinky swearing, sealed with a crossing of their hearts and a hope to die. Laughing Kate gave Lanie a swift hug and started walking backwards towards the precinct and continued talking to Lanie as she made her way to the front door, leaving the ME at the side entrance.

Lanie's face shifted, her eyes narrowed. Castle knew he had been spotted. Kate stopped mid backwards stride. Lanie had to have told Kate she saw him. Passer-byes bumped and jostled Kate as she maintained her position in the middle of the sidewalk, her back still turned to him.

Castle watched as Kate righted her posture and turned to approach him. Her face was set, lips pursed together and he was guessing that her eyes were staring dead ahead. Much like how sh approached a crime scene when she knew it was going to be extra gruesome.

Kate's voice was a little shaky but she managed a, "Morning." Her traditional _'Hey'_ seemed suddenly too intimate.

Pushing himself off the side of the building Castle stood upright, subconsciously shifting closer to Kate. He much preferred her soft morning, _'Hey Castle' _to the monotone _'Morning'_. Funny how a simple little word like _'Hey'_ had taken on a life of its own. "Got a minute?"

Kate dipped her head to stare at the sidewalk as she scuffed a toe across the cement between them as if she was drawing an imaginary line in the sand, "Yes."

"About last night…." Castle reached out to tip her chin upwards. "…I am up here." Before last night he wouldn't have been bold enough to actually touch her, skin to skin. Somehow despite the mountain of questions the remained unanswered, touching her felt right.

Castle watched as she pursed her lips tightly together. Her cheeks puffed in and out, in a feeble attempt to regulate her breathing. "You were saying, about last night?"

"Thank you."

"Thank you?"

"Yes. I know it took a tremendous amount of courage for you to come to my place."

Kate numbly nodded her head, she wasn't sure of the response he was looking for.

"I want you to know I appreciate it."

Kate's head started to hurt from his politeness, a little yelling would be welcomed. Kate searched his eyes for the sign of what was to come, they were softer than they had been in days, was it a good sign? She still hadn't composed a response when Castle requested, "Please take off those sunglasses, I can't see your eyes."

"I'd rather not."

Castle reached up and slipped the glasses from her face. Her eyes were puffy, swollen and rimmed in red. Concern resonated through his voice "Did I do that to you?"

Blinking several times in the morning sun light, Kate murmured, "No, we did that to me."

Lightly brushing her fingers along his as she attempted to reclaim her shades, each held on to the glasses as if it was a life line stringing them together. Neither letting go. The silence continued to grow. Kate cleared her throat, "I really should get to work."

He pleaded with his eyes, "One more question?"

Kate's eyes softened and the expression on her face suggested that she was willing to hear him out.

"Did you mean what you said last night that you…" Castle began to stammer, he didn't know why he was having such a hard time, "…that you…that you…argh…that you…"

A shy smile flitted across her face, "I love you?"

Castle released his hold on her sunglasses to skim his thumb over her the soft inside of her wrist, "Yes."

"Yes, Rick I meant it. I am in love with you."

Castle felt the anger release from his body. A certain warmth ebbed into his heart, he couldn't hold back his smile, Mother was right you just can't flip a switch on love.

The beat of his heart was accelerating, nervously licking his lips, Castle encased her hand with his. He liked the way the roughness of his palm was soothed by the softness of her hand. "Wow."

Encouraged by his touch and feeling a bit more like herself, she flashed a flirty smile, "Wow is right."

Castle held her gaze with his own, "Lot to absorb."

Kate's smile spread to a wide spread grin. He felt her fingers lacing with his. "Rick, I can't have this conversation on the sidewalk outside my work. We owe each other more than that."

Nodding in agreement, "But we will have this conversation?"

"Yes."

"Am I allowed to come to work?"

Her smile spreading to light up her eyes, Kate softly said, "I'd like that."

* * *

><p>Kate rode the elevator up to the bullpen alone and in silence. Wondering where Castle darted off to. He said he would be back, a quick errand.<p>

Settling in at her desk Kate busied herself by scrolling through the multiple texts from Lanie, the wording different but the theme was the same. No one could ever question Lanie's loyalty.

Kate's favorite was, _**'Tell Writer Boy that he better hope Javi finishes him off, meeting up with me won't be pretty.'**_

Kate sent one reply, _**'It will be alright - xoxoK'**_

Kate wasn't sure how they would work out a relationship, what it would look like, but her heart said that it was going to be alright.

* * *

><p>Esposito was peering at Beckett over his computer monitor; she looked good. Maybe not good, but better. Better than last week when her face was held together with a scowl as Castle came and went with the day of the week arm candy. Esposito was on the verge of summoning his courage to approach Kate and casually ask how her night with Lanie went, until he saw the elevator doors open to expose Castle strolling towards Beckett.<p>

Castle was holding two Dixie cup size cups of coffee. Plopping himself in his brown chair, long ago rescued from the janitor closet on the 5th floor, he placed one of the diminutive cups in the center of Beckett's desk.

Kate removed a tiny pink post-it from the lid, hiding a smile as she read _'Baby steps.' _She deftly slipped the note into her back pocket and returned to the stack of paper in front of her.

Castle nervously drummed his fingers on the corner of the desk. He was summoning his courage, to start the road to recovery. Leaning forward in his chair he nudged her thigh with his knee, "Busy?"

Responding without looking up she said, "Kind of."

"Okay, it can wait."

Kate stopped mid-type, flattened her palms to the desk and scooted her chair to face Castle, "No, it can't. That's a problem we have – always waiting, and for what?"

Rubbing his sweaty palms across his jean covered thighs, "I was thinking…"

"Yo, Beckett..."

In unison their heads swiveled towards Esposito's voice, answering together, "Not now."

Kate let out a slight chuckle, how many times had Castle said 'I was thinking…' over the years and either she or Castle allowed someone to interrupt them?

Today they were in sync.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 - Longer Than You Know**

**Disclaimer - so not mine. borrowed characters, created words.**

**Thanks for the follows and reviews.**

"You were saying?"

"…I was thinking we should go to dinner tonight." He saw the hesitation in her eyes, "Or not."

Tugging on the crease of his pant leg just below his knee, "You need to give a girl a moment to answer. Yes, but I am on call – so nothing fancy."

His smile broadened across his face, "One cool and casual dinner date coming up."

Resisting the urge to flash a toothy grin, Kate settled for a twinkle in her eye, "Date?"

Matching the twinkle in her eye, Castle nodded his head and agreed, "Date."

Neither of them noticed that Esposito had crept up on them, "Whose going on a date?

In perfect harmony, "No one." they replied.

"Good – because we have a body."

* * *

><p>Esposito parental radar was on high alert. The parents were acting suspiciously friendly. It wasn't in what they said, it was in their mannerisms. Castle handing Beckett her coat, waiting for her to lead the way to the elevator, standing suspiciously close together on the elevator not in opposite corners using he and Ryan as a buffer. Their behavior was so pre-parade of the robotic blondes and if anything it was a bit more. Esposito wasn't sure how it was more, but Beckett had a calmness he hadn't witnessed before.<p>

Esposito stepped closer to Ryan and as he stared straight ahead, mumbled out of the side of his mouth to Ryan, "I think Mom and Dad made up."

Beckett looked at Castle and rolled her eyes. He smirked in response.

Ryan replied with a mumble or his own, "Verify with Lanie."

Beckett cleared her throat, "Not deaf boys."

* * *

><p>A combination of nervousness and excitement caused Beckett to slow her steps as she and Castle approached her Crown Vic. It would be their first time alone in a confined space several days; up until this morning Castle had done everything in his power to avoid her.<p>

Castle read her mind, "Feel like a kid going on a first date rather than a man going to a murder."

Chuckling in response, "Me too, first date part – not the man part."

Castle's eyes lingered on her for a moment, sweeping over her with an appreciative glance from head to toe before climbing in beside her. "Detective Beckett, I doubt anyone has EVER mistaken you for a man."

Kate shaking her head at this cocky grin, "Good to know."

Backing up the car, Beckett found it comforting that Castle was back to flirting with her. Castle's banter provided her with a welcomed sense of peace.

"You never said where we were headed."

"Irving at East 18th Street."

"About twenty minutes this time of day?"

Focusing on her driving, "I'd say so."

Turning in his seat to face her, "Time for a question?"

Castle's tone made it sound like it was a personal question. Kate wasn't sure she wanted to start a personal conversation on the way to a crime scene. Not the type of personal conversations they needed to have. "Sure."

"It took me a little time to figure it out…I visited you in the hospital 247 days ago, didn't I?"

Taking a poor stab at humor as she steadied herself, Kate answered, "248 now, but who's counting?"

"Hmmm, so I'm right?"

"Yes."

"That was weeks after you were um…"

"You can say it – shot."

"Why so long?"

"Really want to do this now?"

Castle placed a tentative hand on her thigh, "Please." He hoped his touch conveyed what he knew he couldn't yet articulate. That there was no right or wrong answer, he loved her.

Kate wasn't sure what took more concentration, driving with his hand resting on her leg or looking for the right wording. "The first couple weeks in recovery were a haze of real events and dreams."

Castle began nervously rubbing his thumb across her leg. Maybe this wasn't the time for this conversation.

Did he know what his touch was doing to her? Could he feel the heat rising off her jeans? Kate blinked repeatedly. Clutching the wheel a bit tighter, Kate opened up. "Until you walked in I thought I dreamt it, then your eyes – it was all in your eyes, looking at you, seeing you… I was fairly confident it had been real. That you said you loved me."

Her voice breaking; "Then when I said I didn't remember the events surrounding the shooting - your face fell, your voice cracked. I knew for certain. In that moment I didn't know what to do with it."

Looking in the review mirror Kate watched the sting of her words play out across his face as he questioned, "Didn't know what to do with _it_?"

Huffing out a breath, Kate laid her hand over his as he moved to withdraw it from her leg. "I never let myself go there again."

Narrowing his eyes, Castle's voice was full of surprise, "Again?"

Pulling the car to park in front of a fire hydrant, Kate gnawed on her bottom lip. This was not the time for this conversation. Why did she let him lure her into having it at work? Maneuvering in her seat to face him, making sure that their eyes were locked before continuing, "Remember when you asked me to go to the Hamptons with you?"

"You said no."

"Initially, after all I was dating Demming. In so many ways you were still _'Richard Castle' _the author that I had crushed on before we even met."

Castle was all but singing when he interrupted her, "You had a crush on me?"

Blinking to roll her eyes and shake her head at his obvious glee; "The day after I said no, I stashed a packed bag in my locker. I was going to tell you yes."

"Why didn't you?"

"Remember how we were all having a beer and I asked to talk to you for a minute?"

Castle grimaced, "Gina."

"Yep."

"Ouch."

"Oh yeah."

Kate's phone began buzzing in her pocket. She really didn't need to look at it to know it was Esposito or Ryan. They needed to get going. Kate fingered the keys to start the car, until Castle tempted her with another question.

"Before we drive off, you said your mind. What about your heart?"

Kate teased him, "Ever the writer, looking for the details."

Castle surprised her with his response, "Always."

Smiling shyly, "I like that word."

Smiling with confidence, "I thought you did." Pausing a moment "About your heart?"

Damn she wished they weren't doing this right now. Kate unbuckled her seat belt, twisted in her seat, leaned in so close she could've tasted him, but didn't. His scent started making her light headed as she huffed out against his lips, "You have had pieces of my heart for so very long, longer than you know."

Castle hovered his lips a touch away from hers, "Yeah?"

The way he said_ 'yeah' _undid her, so sexy, so full of promise and want. Before her head could catch up to her heart, Kate snaked a hand to the nape of his neck, feathering a touch at the base of his collar, encouraging him to lead the way.

Fisting the lapels of her jacket in his hand, he slowly drew her in, closing the final millimeter to contact. Feeling her lashes play on his cheeks he began to taste her. A kiss that started as a curious hello transformed into a message of things to come.

Pulling back as her vibrating phone beckoned her, Kate swiped a thumb across his lips, removing the evidence of their kiss as she answered the phone, "Beckett."

"You lost or are you two busy making out, I mean up in the car?"

"Good-bye Espo."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5 – I'll Wait Outside**_

_**Disclaimer – my words, their peeps.**_

_**Thanks to my proofer.**_

Striding with purpose towards the familiar yellow tape, Kate hissed, "Could you tone down the smile?"

Castle continued bouncing on the balls of his feet as he trotted beside her. "Not going to happen." He didn't need to look at her to know her eyes where rolling and her jaw was set to hold back a smile.

"Please."

"Tell me one thing."

Shooting him an accusatory look, "Are you blackmailing me?"

A cocky grin playing on his lips, "Call it what you like…was it amazing?"

If Castle was going to ask her to rate their kiss, she was going to make him work for it. "What?"

"You know – our kiss. Was our second kiss as amazing as the first? Because I am still counting the undercover kiss as a first kiss because if you call that a _'work'_ kiss, and do that with Esposito or Ryan, I am going to have to hurt someone."

"Territorial much?" Kate's hand flew to her mouth to smoother the snort she felt bubbling out at the thought of kissing adorably awkward Ryan or her brother of choice Esposito. Regaining her composure Kate bumped his hip, "The second kiss, today's kiss, was delicious."

His tone quizzical, "Is that better than amazing?"

"Way better. Delicious is more along the lines of luscious and leaving you wanting more."

They continued the last 20 feet in silence, sneaking sideways glances at each other and sharing knowing smiles.

Grinning like a school boy, Ryan called out, "You take a bus here?"

Steeling her eyes towards the ME, "Lanie, what do we have?"

Taking her time to answer, Lanie looked first to Kate and then to Castle. Nothing, she had nothing. Kate was squatting, rocking on her heels as she examined the body and Castle stood behind her with eyes darting around the scene taking in the extraneous details others often missed.

Then, there it was, Castle was casting a lingering look at Kate and then he took a step closer to her. He was all up in her personal space.

In a hushed tone Lanie had to ask, "Girl, you okay?"

Kate winked as she asked, "Time of death?"

Lanie settled for returning the wink and squeezing her friend's knee, before running down the details for Beckett. Girl talk would need to wait.

Esposito caught the wink and carried on his way to canvass the area with Ryan. Time to set a trap.

* * *

><p>Sitting around a table in the break room, eating nondescript take out sandwiches as they waited for forensics and financials, Esposito and Ryan started to lay the trap.<p>

"So, Beckett, on the way back here Ryan and I were talking about last week's memo announcing all the Crown Vic's in the 12th were fitted for camera's and recording devices over the weekend. What do you think about that?"

Kate froze, slid a sideways glance towards Castle, who was choking on his chicken salad. Crap, why did she ignore the _'News You Can Use' _annoying work emails?

Trying to keep her cool, "It's a good thing, protects us against wrongful accusations."

Damn, Esposito thought, Beckett is a tough cookie. Sure he caught the side eye Beckett shared with Castle before she answered, but he knew that look on her face, she wasn't going to show her cards anytime soon.

They were going to have to go after Castle, well, after his eyes stopped watering from choking on his lunch.

Esposito and Ryan pivoted in their chairs to stare down Castle. He was almost too easy and predictable a mark. Castle caved before the boys even worded the first question. "How often do they take the film from the cars?"

"No need to," Ryan whipped out his phone and pulled up his 'Live Cams' app, "works just like this, live instant feed." Jabbing a finger at his phone he showed the camera that he had installed at his sister-in-law's nursery.

Ever the kid with the short attention span, Castle exclaimed, "That is so cool! Wait, are you and Jenny expecting?"

Ryan waved him off. "No, I put it up for Jenny's sister."

Kate forced herself to lean back and cross her arms to restrain herself from snatching Ryan's phone from him. Suddenly it dawned on her; Javi was way too calm about _'camera's in cop cars.'_ There were no cameras and she knew exactly how to prove it. "So Esposito didn't you have a car out on Monday night?"

"Yeah."

Kate leaned forward on the lunch table, put on her best interrogation face, "You take a little extra drive in that car? Maybe use it for personal purposes?"

Esposito's eyes bugged out, all but popping out of his head. Jumping to his feet he threw down his napkin, exclaiming "¿Ustedes chicas hablar de todo?"

Wearing a chesire cat grin, Kate settled back into her chair, "No, we don't talk about everything…" winking at Espo, "…but enough."

Beaming with pride, Castle made his way to the trashcan to toss the remains of his lunch, "Admirable effort boys."

* * *

><p>The first forty-eight hours of any investigation are the most critical. The boys had canvassed the area and reviewed surveillance tape while Beckett and Castle ran background and financial checks on the victim. Nothing popped.<p>

Hanging up the phone, Beckett called the team together, "That was Lanie, time of death between 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Which fits with what you guys picked up."

Kate waited for the whining to set in, they all knew what it meant, someone was going to be assigned the task of staking out the warehouse where the body had been dumped in an effort to match up the surveillance tapes with the night shift, hoping that someone would stick out as not belonging.

Ryan shouted, "Not it."

Esposito scowled at him, "Bro, this isn't kindergarten."

"Jenny and I have plans."

"How do you know I don't have a hot chica waiting for me?"

"Guys stop it, I'm up. Ryan ,load the footage on the ipad for me, Espo keep your phone on." Kate glanced at Castle in a quick attempt to gauge his reaction. "Castle, go enjoy dinner with your family." Disappointment was clearly etched on his face.

Castle shot Beckett a puzzled look, had she forgotten about their dinner plans? Was work more important? His heart was conducting negative flip-flops over her decision to work. It would have been easy for her to mandate that one of the boys work tonight.

Kate tried to catch his eye, Castle refused to lock eyes with her. He rammed one hand in his pants pocket while scooping up his jacket with the other. "Seems like you have a handle on the evening; be back tomorrow."

"Rick, break room now."

Castle was uncertain if it was the bark in her voice or the use of his first name that motivated him to turn on his heel, ignoring the snickering comments of Esposito and Ryan, Castle caught up to Beckett as she lowered the blinds in the break room. After all the both knew that the boys would be practicing their eavesdropping and lip reading skills.

"Close the door please."

Castle cautiously closed the door and waited for Kate to speak. Her eyes were burning holes in him and he was concerned that if pushed to soon she would verbally assault him. Actually, Castle knew she was going to let loose on him, the way she was running her hand through her hair, scratching her skull as her nostrils flared and curled her lips inward. Yep, she was pissed. He stood patiently waiting for Beckett to speak.

Kate was sizing him up, she puffed out a breath "Rick, why did you try and bolt out the door?"

"Why did you tell me to go? We had plans."

Taking a step towards him, "I thought you would understand I had to work and that you might be happier home eating with your family than sitting in cop car doing preliminary surveillance."

"You could have made one of them work."

"Suggesting I abuse my authority?"

"Would it have hurt? You are usually the one working late. Aren't you?"

"Typically I work late because I had no social life." Making another move closer, "This time I owed them."

"How?"

"Who do you think was working extra hard while you were playing with your _'uncomplicated'_ friends?"

Castle's eyebrows jumped in surprise at Kate's use of the word _'uncomplicated.' _"What is that supposed to mean?"

Kate softened her tone now that her fear of his departure was abated. Deciding to leave _'uncomplicated'_ for another time, after all it was a bit of a low blow and a sign that she was still stinging from his recent behavior. "The boys and I have come to count on you as an integral part of the team. When you aren't here it impacts them too. Espo and Ryan will never admit it to you, but it upset them when you iced them out along with me."

"Iced out?"

"Come on Rick, you know Ryan idolizes you and Espo has this odd affection for you. The boys really thought there was more to their friendship with you than me. That you are their partner too, they count on you."

"I didn't think of it that way."

"You really shouldn't have to; but the truth it, if you weren't here I would have asked for another partner a long time ago. The boys earned the night off. A small thank you for accepting you as my partner/their partner, as unorthodox as the situation is. You, me, and the boys we work really well as a team. You're family to them – to me. " Searching his face for a response; "Am I making any sense here? Or should I keep babbling?"

"I like when you babble…" Shifting on his feet, tilting towards Kate, "…it is most enlightening," wanting to show her how much sense she made, Castle grazed his thumb across her cheek. The creak of the turning doorknob caused him to jerk backwards, stumbling clumsily into the cappuccino maker.

Kate instinctively reached her arms out to steady Castle. She failed miserably as she lost her footing and crashed into his chest.

Ryan cracked open the door and was greeted by a laughing Beckett tangled up in Castle's arms. Oddly embarrassed by what he saw, he quickly shut the door while mumbling under his breath. "Hmm, I'll wait outside."

_**Thanks for the follows and reviews - only a few more chapters to this one because after reading an AM interview I realized only one thing would blow my mind on how the season would end. **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6 – Worse than Naked**_

_**Disclaimer - renting the characters, owning the words.**_

Standing with his arms wrapped around her waist and his fingers linked together to make sure she couldn't run, "Ryan or Esposito?"

Resting her hands comfortably on his forearms and smiling slightly, "Ryan, Espo would have lingered for a look."

Gathering his thoughts a bit, "You okay with this?"

"Standing here with you?"

Castle nodded his head yes and waited for her answer.

Swaying back and forth on her feet, "Weeellll, most of the precinct thinks we have been friends with benefits for years, the boys are family and Gates left an hour ago."

* * *

><p>"Bro, they okay?"<p>

Pursing his lips together and furrowing his brow, "I'd say so."

Perching himself on the edge of Ryan's desk, Esposito hissed, "Details, I want details."

"Beckett was um, she was um how do I say it?"

Esposito's eyes stared to bulge, "Naked?"

Shooting Esposito a look of disgust, "Worse!"

"Worse than naked?"

Wrinkling up his face as if he smelled a dirty diaper, "She was so, so girly."

In mock horror Esposito asked, "Girly?"

Ryan shook his head in a final attempt to erase the image from his mind, "You know...all giggly and flirty, it was downright disturbing."

* * *

><p>Castles squeezed her a bit tighter, "I have another question for you."<p>

Rolling her eyes and settling into his hold, "Can you hold it until later?" She liked the way it felt standing there with him. They fit.

"No, besides the longer we are in here the more they sweat."

He had a point, plus Kate had a feeling her new favorite sport might be terrorizing the boys, "Make it an easy one."

"You didn't invited me tonight because you can't control yourself around me, right?"

Laughing heartily, "Really?"

"You know how I know?"

"No…" knocking her toes against his, "…but I am sure you are about to tell me."

"A few minutes ago when you tumbled into my arms you had the same exactly look in your eyes as you had in LA."

"I had a look in LA."

"That night on the couch…" leaning in to breathe his words into her ear, "…you wanted me."

With indignation she replied, "What are you talking about? I went to bed."

Staring at her with great intent, "Did you?"

Kate already knew that the art of honesty would provide Castle with enough material to tease for a life time. "No, I came back for you."

Castle replied softly, "I know. As much as I wanted you, I was fairly confident it would be an event we never spoke again. I wanted more."

"You're a smart man Richard Castle."

Whipping out his phone, "Could you say that again so that I can record it? Might come in handy in the future."

Kate pushed out of his hold and headed out the door, calling out over her shoulder, "Not a chance."

Castle quickly followed on her heels. He wanted to watch the dance of denial with the boys.

Stopping to stare at the boys huddled around Ryan's desk, Beckett asked, "Ryan any questions for me? Mmm, us?"

Shoving the loaded iPad into her hand, "Nope, not me. Off to pick up Jenny."

Esposito wanted to know more, "Beckett, need me to go with you tonight? You know the Captain wouldn't approve of one of us going off on our own….rules and all."

"Thanks Espo…"

Esposito waited for the confirmation that Castle had convinced Beckett to let him tag along.

"That would be great."

Watching as Esposito's jaw slackened and his mouth fell open, Castle slapped him on the back, "Enjoy your night. Later Beckett."

Damn. Esposito thought to himself, I try and collect intel on them and I end up working for the night. Then he grinned, realizing he had at least a solid three hours to break Beckett and get a confirmation that she and Castle had finally come to their senses.

* * *

><p>Esposito had an entirely new found respect for Beckett's ability to avoid an interrogation or turn the tables on him. She was a steel l trap, other than the occasional betraying smile; Esposito would have thought she and Castle were casual acquaintances.<p>

Kate was starting to fidget in her seat, she was anxious to call it a night. It was 9:15 pm, they were able to casually interview a few people, none of them had developed into a solid lead regarding the previous evening's events and she had agreed to meet Castle when she was done.

Kate laughed out loud as she thought over Castle's earlier text: '_You said yes to dinner, we live in NYC , no self-respecting New Yorker eats before 9:00pm. Gotham Bar and Grill between 9:30 and 10:00pm.'_

Esposito caught her looking at her watch again, "Some place to be?"

"Meeting a friend for drinks."

Cocking an eye brow, "This _friend_ have a name?"

"All my friends have names, don't yours?"

Oh how Esposito hated sassy Beckett, "Be that way – but go, I can see you're itching to leave and it will take at least 30 get back to the station and check in the Vic."

"Thanks, the car is signed out in my name, I need to go back."

"Lucky for you I am a kind and benevolent friend, I added my name to the log as we headed out." His lips quirking into a smile, "I had a premonition that you would be rushing off."

Kate was torn between hugging Espo for his thoughtfulness and smacking him in the chest for his smugness. "Thanks Javi," she said while jumping out of the car and took off speed walking, Esposito called after her, "Tell Castle I said_ 'Hi._'"

Kate spun around flashing a tooth grin, "I will."

Esposito high fived himeself as Kate cursed herself for falling into his trap and ran back to the car. Leaning in the window and jabbing him in the chest. Kate threatened, "Javi, not a word, not a single solitary word. Lanie will never forgive me if she hears about this from anyone but me."

_**PS. Thank you for the comments and follows.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7 – A Box**_

_**We all know the characters aren't mine.**_

It was a beautiful night out and Kate much preferred to walk than cab the half mile to the restaurant. The walk would give her time to come to grips with her casual dinner being turned into an elegant affair. Gotham was known for its memorable dining experiences with impeccable service.

Looking down at her jeans and Burberry Short Leather Trench, Kate was starting to feel underdressed for the evening, well other than her Michael Kors 'Lesley' Boot. The boots made it all okay, and the trench was trendy enough. Regardless, she really would have liked the opportunity to clean up a bit.

A block away from the restaurant, Kate stopped to check her appearance in the reflection of a storefront window. She searched her pockets and came up with the only makeup she carried on the job, NARS lip gloss and eyeliner. She quickly refreshed her lips and started on her eyes when she heard, "Doing that for me?"

His voice startled her and her hand slipped, "Jeez, Castle I almost poked my eye out."

"Who are you kidding? I bet you could do that one handed while driving."

Softening her tone a bit; "Not the point, you scared me."

With mischief in his eye, his voice low and gravelly, "I know how to really scare you."

Turning to face him, with hazel eyes searching his face, "Yeah?"

Meeting her eyes with his own, Castle took a slow step towards her and huffed out a "Yeah."

Leaning forward and softly whispering in his ear, "I don't feel scared."

Castle slipped a hand behind her head, nuzzling his cheek against hers, his tone was raspy, "Not even if I tell you I love you?"

Delicately pressing her lips against his cheek, "Not anymore."

* * *

><p>"Reservations for two, under Rogers"<p>

Kate shot Castle a quizzical side eyed look which Castle ignored.

The maître d led them to a table in the center of the restaurant. Kate leaned up against Castle, making sure he could feel her sidearm. Castle nodded quickly, "Sir, we need a booth in the back."

"I am sorry Mr. Rogers, those are reserved for parties of 4 or more."

Pointing at Kate, Castle responded, "My gorgeous date is one of New York's finest…"

The maître de looked Kate up and down and proceeded to roll his eyes as if to call Castle a liar.

"….she was on duty until about fifteen minutes ago, which means she is wearing her service weapon. I don't think you need the patrons being unnecessarily startled when she takes off her coat and they see a gun strapped to her side."

Skimming his eyes over Kate once again the maître de asked, "You're a cop?"

Slipping her badge out from her inside coat pocket, "Homicide."

"Booth it is."

Once seated, Kate slipped out of her coat and strategically re-clipped her gun at the small of her back, less than ideal for a quick grab, but somewhat hidden from other patrons. "Sorry about that."

Sliding a bit closer to her in the booth, smiling with confidence and his eyes twinkling with glee "Not me, means you were in a hurry to see me."

Choosing to neither confirm nor deny that she was excited to have dinner with him, Kate redirected, "What was with the Rogers?"

With a boyish grin on his face Castle teased, "You know Detective Beckett,_ some_ people recognize the name _'Richard Castle.' _ Thought you might want to stay under the radar, you never know who is calling Page 6."

"Good call."

"Hungry?"

"A little – you order, anything light."

"You're going to let me order?"

A small knowing smile teased at the corner of her lips, "I'll let you in on a little secret. I make decisions all day long, many of which impact people's lives for better or worse. Any decision that I can avoid I do." Taking a moment to consider if she should add the rest of the words playing in her head, reaching for his hand, Kate ventured on, "Which is in part how we arrived at me not telling you I heard you. It was a big decision to tell you."

Castle turned her hand in his, gradually threading his fingers between hers, taking his time in weaving their digits together. Enjoying the feeling of the softness of her hand in his, "I am glad you did, what made you decide to tell me?"

Using her free hand to run a finger along the rim of her water glass, "Can we order first?"

Tilting his head to catch her eye, "Stalling?"

Kate feathered her thumb across his, "Waiting for an interrupted length of time to answer."

As if on cue their waiter appeared to take their order.

Castle watched Kate's face as he ordered, making sure he had selected acceptable dishes. "We will start with the tuna tartare, roasted beet salad and," making sure to catch her eye, "How does the halibut sound? We can share. And a bottle of white."

Her eyes lit up, "Love the tartare. Share a glass of white? "

Chuckling a bit, "I think I can splurge and get a bottle."

Kate led Castle's hand to the small of her back, "I don't drink while I am carrying, but I could have a sip of yours."

Castle took the move as an okay to slip his arm around her waist and rest his hand on the curve of her hip. "Where were we?"

"Back to the questions?" Bumping his shoulder with hers, "You're a bit like a dog with a bone over these questions."

"Yes I am." Lazily drawing circles on her hip, "Not too many more, I am impressed at how easily you are answering them."

"Maybe you could give them to me in advance, you know, give me time to study up."

Waggling his eyebrows at her, "That would be cheating."

"You sound like my therapist."

"Therapist?"

Smiling shyly, Kate replied, "Dr. Burke; you'd like him."

"I would?" Castle was confused, what therapist? "How, um, long have you been seeing him?"

"He did my psych eval for the department, so I could come back to work."

"You used the present tense; have you been going the entire time?"

Laughing Kate answered, "I took a couple days off, thought I was so damn smart passing the eval, went back to work and you saw it, I had challenges readjusting." Holding her eyes with his, taking a moment, "I was back in his office within a week of being told I was good to go. I wanted to be more than who I was."

Castle was overwhelmed, he simply sat staring at Kate; as he thought to himself that she really had meant everything she said that day on the swings. Castle had an overwhelming feeling that the first day of the rest of their lives was starting right now.

Kate sensed the wheels turning in Castle's mind. Kate questioned him with her eyes, he continued to watch her as he replayed every touch and smile over the past several months, so many little signs that she was healing from the inside out.

Kate became uneasy under Castle's watchful eye, there was more she wanted to share with him about Dr. Burke. Smiling with certain level of pride, "Now I'm down to every other week and the occasional emergency visit." The last three words came out rushed and full of nervousness. Looking at his face, Kate knew Castle would ask and he did.

Knowing the answer, Castle guiltily asked, "When was your last emergency visit?"

Shifting in her seat, Kate rested a bent knee on his thigh, "Yesterday." The closeness of their bodies made it easier to maintain eye contact to hold on to her courage to answer the question she knew what was coming.

Castle tucked his hand in the crease of her knee, "Talk about me?"

"More about me than you… " Kate smiled tenderly, "…your name might have come."

Asking with his eyes for more as the waiter appeared with their wine, placing the glass strategically between the two of them, departing without saying a word.

Castle pushed the glass towards Kate, "After you."

Kate picked up the glass, swirled the wine and took a small sip, "Need to keep a clear head."

"Back to Burke."

Dr. Burke was an emotional subject for Kate to handle; only her father knew she had reached out for help. "Would you like to know how many times Dr. Burke asked, _'What do you want Kate?'_ or '_What are you afraid of?' or 'What do YOU want to do about it Kate?_"

Castle let out an inappropriately loud laugh, "I am surprised he is still alive."

Joining in on Castle's laughter, "Me too. You have no idea how many times I wanted to take off my shoe and chuck it at his head."

Nodding his head at the waiter to go ahead and serve, that it was okay to interrupt, then took a sip of wine, while handing Kate a fork full of tuna tartare, "Eat, you never eat enough."

Swallowing her bite, "Gladly this is scrumptious."

"Is that better than delicious?"

Recognizing the subtext in his question, Kate stated firmly, "No."

Castle moved his hand to her boot and gave it a playful tug, "Betting you wanted to throw a boot yesterday."

"Actually yesterday was a good day, a breakthrough. I realized I was more afraid of losing you due to not telling you then from telling you and having it not work out."

Castle's chest tightened at the thought of Kate not being in his world, "Why wouldn't we work?"

"I don't know Rick, people fall in and out love all the time. You're my best friend and I need you in my life." Running her hand through her hair and grabbing a taste of wine, "If we start this and it doesn't work I am certain we would never go back to being friends. Months ago that would have shattered me."

"And now?"

Frowning a bit, "I would be crushed, but it wouldn't break me."

Swiping her finger through the last of the vinaigrette, not wanting to waste a drop, Kate leisurely licked it off her finger.

Castle swallowed repeatedly as he watched her taste the dab of sauce off her fingers, "Please stop that."

Enjoying the look of arousal in his eyes, Kate ran a finger across her bottom lip as she innocently asked, "Stop what?"

Reaching for her hand and pulling it to his mouth, he nibbled on her knuckles and mumbling, "Teasing me."

Scooting closer, so that she was almost in his lap, Kate grazed her lips across his cheek, on the way to murmur in his ear, "You, told me I don't eat enough, now I eat and it upsets you."

In a low almost inaudible tone Castle hissed, "You're playing a dangerous game."

"This isn't a game to me, is it a game to you?"

"No." Stealing a kiss and shoving her off of him and moving to the other side of the booth, he pointed at her and exclaimed "You stay over there; I have more questions before we get to that."

Kate laughed and rolled her eyes, "Oh is that how you see this going? What if I have different ideas?"

Castles eyes grew wide, "What are you saying?"

"For now, I'm suggesting that…" Grasping his forearm, "…you come back over here, I'll play nice."

* * *

><p>Finishing up their salad, Castle couldn't let go of the nagging feeling that Kate had been to Gotham before and most likely on a date. Castle was fairly confident Kate hadn't eaten here with her dad. It must have been on a date. "Seems like you have been here before."<p>

"A time or two." Kate was hoping Castle would ask with whom, but of course he would. He sat there staring at her waiting for her answer. "Fine; with Josh."

"The Proctologist?"

Softly smacking him in the chest with the back of her hand, "Cardiac Surgeon."

Gritting his teeth a bit, "Seriously, the Proctologist took you here?"

Shaking her head at this childishness, "You really want to talk about him?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Josh…

Grinning, Castle interjected, "The proctologist."

Scoffing at Castle's altered reality, "Josh enjoyed great food, especially when he returned from a stint with 'Doctors without Borders'.

Shaking his head, with a twinkle in his eye, "Hate to break it to you – the proctologist wasn't off doing noble works of charity."

"What are you talking about?"

"He only told you that, he was really checking himself in and out of rehab for 'Huffing'."

Staring at him in disbelief, "You have lost your mind?"

"I know it is tough for you to accept."

Taking a moment to decide if she should ask or not, "How long have you been rewriting his life?"

Scrubbing a hand across his face, "Longer than I'd like to tell you."

Shifting towards him and placing a hand on his thigh, "How long?"

Scrunching up his face in disgust, Castle decided it was more fun to ask the questions then to have to answer them, "Since the first time his pretty boy self-showed up at the 12th."

"Seriously?" Kate slid along the booth until they were touching thigh to thigh.

Castle responded by hooking his leg around hers, "He came into the bullpen with his tight jeans, pretty boy looks, heck, even I checked him out."

Smothering a giggle, Kate rested her head on his shoulder, "If it helps, you look pretty hot in your Legend jeans and I may or may not be guilty of checking your bum out on more than one occasion."

Dropping a kiss on her forehead, "It helps". Moving away from Kate, Castle exclaimed, "Wait, you know the brand of my jeans?"

"Lucky Guess." Snuggling further into his hold, "Why did you really want to talk about him?"

"Calling me out Detective?"

"Yes."

Castle twirled the wine glass between his fingers, "When did you two break up?" Castle didn't know why it was so important to him, but it was. Here was this beautiful lady sitting beside him, who had told him she loved him and he still had the nagging need to know how things ended with her last boyfriend.

Ah, that's what all of this chatter about proctologists was about, "After I was released from the hospital."

Without thinking Castle blurted out, "Why did you wait? You knew I had told you I loved you."

Not sure of the wording that would make it okay, so Kate went with the truth, "Josh helped save my life and it didn't seem appropriate to end things while I was confined to his hospital."

Castle's hands tightened around the wine glass, his knuckles turning white, as she continued, "I know you don't want to hear this, but Josh is a good man…"

Cutting Kate off mid-sentence, "You were right, we shouldn't talk about him."

Placing a hand on his cheek, gently turning his face so she could see into his eyes, "You have nothing to worry about. He wasn't the right man. You are."

His eyes softened as he asked, "Have you seen him again?"

Moving away from him, "Where did that come from?"

Slipping an arm around her shoulders and gathering Kate back into his hold, Castle mumbled, "I don't know, maybe because I sat there for months watching you trying to make it work with him, you wanting to have it work with Josh, when all I wanted was you."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I tried several times – after the contamination, after the freezer, after disarming the bomb and everywhere I turned there he was. I was willing to have any part of your life that you were willing to share."

"What made you change your mind?"

"I didn't want you to die without knowing that someone loved you and was willing to dive in with you or in my case, already dove in."

Curling her lips into a smile, leaning ever so close, "Well Richard Castle, this here and now is me jumping off the cliff to dive in with you." Her kiss started slowly, gently exploring his mouth, feeling the way his breathing changed and his hand was skimming along her spine, encouraged Kate to deepen their kiss.

Castle's his hand moved to tangle in her hair. The hair that had been tempting him all evening, the way it cascaded over her shoulders and the dimmed restaurant light bouncing of the shades of auburn. This kiss was so much more than before, full of want and a sense of awakening. Castle felt a hitch in her breath, "You okay?"

Kate murmured, "Yeah, long time coming."

Over her shoulder Castle caught sight of the waiter patiently waiting to serve them dinner, Castle waved him over as Kate buried her hands in her face, "Well, he got a bit of a show. Not really my style."

The waiter placed their entrée between them as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Castle eyed Kate for a moment, slid his credit card out of his wallet and placed it on the table, "Check please, we won't long."

Without hesitation Kate added, "And a box."

A smirk played on Castle's face as desire flooded his eyes; turning to Kate he questioned, "A box?"

His gaze was met with confident smiling eyes, "A box."

Their waiter's face broke into a momentary smile before returning to his standard blank unassuming look, taking Castle's credit card headed off about his duties.

Kate skillfully slipped a fork off the table into her coat pocket, only to be caught by Castle. "Did one of New York's Finest just commit a theft?"

Smiling a large toothy grin, Kate chuckled, "Borrowing, Castle, borrowing. I'll return it. Doesn't a little snack on the way to my place sound good?"

Lifting a brow and finishing off the wine, "Are you going to feed me? You only took one fork."

"Only one way to find out," Shifting her weapon back to her right hip, Kate gathered up her coat and slid into it as she stood, "You coming Castle?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 – Thumb Print**

**Disclaimer – not mine.**

The night air sent Castle a refreshing reminder that a new wind was blowing. Most of his questions had been answered and he had a plan. He would require help to pull off his plan in such a limited amount of time, but he was done waiting. Placing a hand at the small of her back, Castle guided Kate to a waiting town car, "This is us."

Kate gave an appreciative nod. "Hmm, nice touch."

Castle had been nervous about the car. Pampering Kate was an entirely new dimension to their relationship. "Not too much?"

"Not at all."

Castle signaled to the driver to wait in the car as he opened Kate's car door with great flair, "After you my lady."

Settling in beside her Castle dipped his head to place soft kisses along her jaw line. The car pulled away from the curb and without a word from Castle, the car turned right at the light apparently in route to her place

Kate stroked a thumb across his skin at the open 'v' of his dress shirt, Kate murmured, "Confident much?"

His eyes twinkled, "Hmm?" Castle muttered as lifted her hair to pepper kisses down neck.

Castle unbuttoned the top button of her coat and nudged back her shirt to suck on the base of her neck where it met her shoulder.

Kate was desperately tried to maintain even breathing, "You didn't tell the driver which way to go."

Moving to assault her lips, he rasped out, "A gentleman always sees his lady home and I was optimistic."

Teasing him with her nails, Kate scraped her fingers the length of thigh, "Call it what you like, I like it."

Castle's heart quickened, "Good to know." Castle returned his attention to her mouth, gently probing with his tongue for entry. Damn, he could feel Kate's phone began vibrating in her coat pocket.

Kate pushed back from Castle and withdrew her phone, "Hold that thought. It was buzzing all through dinner. Best that I check it." Missing the incoming call but, smiling at the intermingled list of missed calls, voice mails and texts – all from Javi and Lanie. So predictable. "Mind if I send a quick text?"

Castle slumped back in his seat and held out his hand, "Fork please, I need to feed us if you won't."

Kate handed over the fork with one hand and tapped out a text with the other, _"Yes, had dinner with RC. "_

Lanie must have been sleeping with her phone; she immediately zipped back, _"Still with him?"_

Kate sent a rapid reply, _"Good Night." _ Kate knew her ambiguous reply would leave Lanie and Javi guessing all night.

Not realizing how hungry he was, Castle greedily inhaled the fish as Kate tapped out her texts.

Dropping her phone into her pocket, Kate peered inside the box and then looked to Castle's face. Questioning with her eyes, _'Where is the fish?'_

Castle cast a glance into the empty box. Shrugging his shoulders with boyish charm, "It was really, really tasty."

Fisting her hand around his lapel, Kate slowly brought him to her, swiping her tongue across his bottom lip she hummed, "Yes it was."

Castle snagged Kate around the waist and dragged her onto his lap. Castle placed a hand behind her head and rested his forehead against hers. His tone was rough and his breathing erratic, "You ready for this? Because if I come in, I am not going home and you might not get any sleep."

Resting her hand on his chest, she felt the power of the beat of his heart. It matched her own. Smiling widely, her eyes where without hesitation, "Yes."

* * *

><p>Kate barely punched the elevator button for her floor when she felt the force of Castle's body pushing her up against the wall. He was in full on predator mode, his eyes a deep blue black, a half smile played on his face as he placed a hand on each side of her head.<p>

Kate held her breath as he moved with deliberate slowness towards her, licking her lips in anticipation of contact. Castle snagged her bottom lip between his teeth and orally assaulted it until they reached her floor.

Castle knit their fingers together as they exited the elevator and led the way to Kate's apartment. He was prepared for an awkward quiet moment as they approached her door. There wasn't one. Kate fished her keys out of her pocket, unlocked the door and gestured for Castle to go in first. Her knees were still weak from the elevator ride. The man had talents.

Inside, Castle slowly began unbuttoning her coat, locking eyes with her as he released button after button. Kate followed his lead and began popping open the buttons on his coat. Castle took his time sliding his hands across her shoulders and down her arms as he peeled back her coat.

Hanging her jacket in the closet and then removing his coat to join hers produced a shiver down his spine, it was eerily domestic. Castle was overwhelmed with the oddest sensation of déjà vu.

Kate briefly grasped his hand in hers as she waived her weapon and badge in the air, "Be right back, I need to lock these up. Help yourself to a drink."

Castle watched as she walked away, hips swaying, heels tapping out a rhythm of their own as she disappeared into her bedroom. A drink wasn't necessary, Castle slipped out of his shoes and padded down the hall after her.

Kate had locked up all things _'Beckett_' and stood in her closet doorway unzipping her boots. Hearing Castle approach Kate spun around, "Couldn't wait?"

Placing his hands on her waist and taking a step closer, "No." Kate met his step with one of her own.

Steadying herself with one hand on his shoulder, "One more boot and I am all yours." Kate bent to unzip her remaining boot.

Castle's eyes grew wide, an entire 8x10 wall was dedicated to shoes. All precisely placed in their designated home, "Holy Imelda Marcos, you are shoe whooor…"

Playfully swatting at Castle's chest, "I'd be careful how you finish that sentence."

Giving an unapologetic shrug Kate picked up her boots and placed them in their waiting cubby hole. "I love my shoes and boots. They are my vice, along with trendy jackets."

Smiling eagerly, "I fully endorse and support the stiletto addicition."

Kate suddenly felt nervous, excited butterflies swelling in her stomach. She didn't have a snappy comeback. Kate's confidence began to fade as she stood in front of a beaming Castle, his eyes were raw with desire, his pupil and iris had become one.

There they were standing less than five feet from her bed. Even though she was ready for them to end up here, it was a bit overwhelming, in all the best ways. She felt Castle crowding into her, her eyes fluttered as she nervously chewed her bottom lip, "Toothbrush?"

"Give me a second." Castle turned on the ball of his foot and bolted out the door. Kate made it to the doorway just in time to watch Castle skate across the wood floor towards her, holding a toothbrush.

Rolling her eyes, Kate let out a loud chuckle, "You are unbelievable."

Castle stepped around her, calling out "But you love me!" as he headed to the bathroom.

Kate stood in her room wringing her hands together, hoping he made the first move. As much as she enjoyed leading, tonight she only wanted to follow.

Castle popped out of the bathroom, "Get in here, you need to brush too."

Grateful for some direction Kate dutifully headed into the bathroom and hip checked Castle to the side so she could reach her toothbrush. They brushed in unison with a bit of playful pushing and shoving.

Kate grabbed a wash cloth and turned the water to warm, "You might as well see all of me."

Crossing his arms Castle leaned up against the bathroom wall, holding her eyes in the mirror as she removed her make up. He found it incredibly sexy watching the natural Kate come to life, was it because she was that gorgeous or because he couldn't recall any woman having the confidence to be that _'naked'_ in front of him this early in a relationship? Did it matter?

Castle pushed himself off the wall, wrapped his arms around her and began nuzzling her neck, "Ready not to sleep?"

Kate turned in his hold and dropped her head to his shoulder, whispering in his ear, "Lead the way."

Dancing them into to the bedroom, Castle shared his plan, "I was thinking that we'd play a little strip poker."

Kate brows knitted together in confusion as she looked up into his eyes, "Doesn't that mean someone loses?"

Castle dropped his hold on Kate, untucked his dress shirt and began leisurely unbuttoning his shirt, "There will only be winners here."

"Ahh…" Following his lead Kate began flicking open the buttons on her top.

Eyes locked they both dropped their shirts to the ground at the same time. Castle leaned forward and dropped a kiss on each shoulder. "What's above delicious?"

Kate ran her hands down his chest to rest on the waist band of his jeans, "Luscious?"

Growling out his words as his hands popped the top button of her jeans, "I like that."

Humming in his ear she released his belt, "Good."

Simultaneously stepping out of their jeans, and stripping off their socks, Castle stepped back to take stock of nearly naked Kate standing in front of him.

"Wow, is that what you wear to work ALL the time?" Tracing a finger across the delicate edge of her bra, "Or where you confident?"

"More of a most of the time than an ALL the time," a slight blush crept up Kate's neck, "And for today throw in a dose of hopefulness."

His voice catching, "I approve of all the time."

"I think I can accommodate that request."

Dipping his head, Castle ran his hand across the border of her lace panties that barely covered her ink, "The ever elusive tattoo."

"Yeah."

Castle ran his hands down the length of her body as he dropped to his knees before her. He gently slid back enough material to exam her art. It was a well-crafted intricate thumb print with the hand-scripted words '_Katie, my love_.' Castle looked up and questioned with his eyes

He felt her hands on his face, guiding him back to his feet. She circled her arms around his waist and brought him close to her. Hip to hip. Looking into her eyes he knew that she was going to tell him the meaning behind her ink.

"It's my mom's thumb print. Whenever I was crying my mother would gather me into her arms and wipe my tears away with her thumb. Like this…" softly skimming her thumb below Castle's eye, leaving her hand to rest on the nape of his neck.

Letting out a tiny hiccup; Kate could feel the tears welling in her eyes. It was never easy to talk about her mom. "Mom would look deep into my eyes and murmur '_Katie, my love_…'"

Castle watched intently as Kate's eyes grew shiny and bright; his thumbs began to trace a reassuring over the small of her back, urging her to speak the words forming on her lips.

Pounding a gentle fist against his heart, "I just want so damn badly to feel her wipe away a tear and hear her voice say '_Katie, my love.' _again."

Castle reached up and thumbed away a solitary tear as it trickled down Kate's face, his voice was cracking, "Ah Kate." Castle could hear his mother saying _'Richard use your words.'_

He didn't have any.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9 - I'll Take Two**_

_**Disclaimer – will never be min e. Thanks again for the reviews and the follows. Short but sweet chapter.**_

Laughing, really laughing, her entire body was shaking with laughter and a flirty smile teased at the corners of her mouth, "You got me all sweaty."

Castle squeezed her waist and held her to him, "Me? You're lying on top of me, sweat goes downhill."

Kate's smile brightened as she placed her elbows on Castle's chest and settled her chin into her hands, "I'd say that went well."

Castle's voice full of warmth as he raised a brow at the beautiful lady sprawled on top of him, "Well? That is the best you could come up with?"

"Fishing for complements?"

Pursing his lips into a childlike pout, "Maybe. Yes."

Kate planted a warm kiss on his lips, teasing him into wanting more before breaking it off to murmur, "Mind-blowing work for you?"

Grinning like a fool in love, Castle affectionately tucked a stray her hair behind one ear, "Yes."

Rolling off of Castle and wrapping a sheet around herself Kate sat cross legged next to him.

"You look sexy as hell draped in only a sheet, but it's a little late to cover up…" with a boastful tone and a sweep of his hand Castle declared, "…I've seen it all."

Kate tossed a pillow over Castle's face as she scooted up to lean against the headboard, making sure to staying close enough to touch skin to skin.

Castle pealed back Kate's sheet to trace his fingers along her tattoo, "Why did I think you got your tattoo in high school?"

"I did."

"I am sure I checked out every inch of you, how did I miss it?"

Thwacking him on the chest, Kate confessed, "I had it removed."

"Seriously?"

"Maddie and I were perhaps under aged intoxicated girls who traded a guy a 12 pack of beer for two very hideous tattoos. One for each of us, this one is more recent – last summer."

"Last summer?" Castle's heart slowed and clenched as he thought about being the first to see her art. Drawing out his words slowly, "Tell me about it."

"At first it was to get me through the summer, I needed her strength so desperately. Now it has morphed into a source of strength and beauty. It inspires me to be the kind of mom my mom was."

Kate quickly shut her eyes; crap did she just talk about being a mom. Kate was mortified, scrunching up her face in a futile effort to hide.

Hearing Castle repeatedly clear his throat forced Kate to peak out of one eye. He was smiling broadly. Double crap, he had heard her and was going call her on it.

Castle's eyes danced with glee, as Kate turned redder and redder and refused to look at him. "It's okay, I don't scare easily."

Watching the wheels turn in Kate's head, the words almost forming on her lips and her struggle to keep them inside. Castle encouraged her, "You should ask me."

Circling his heart with the lightest of touches, Kate whispered "Not ready."

"To ask or hear the answer?"

"Both."

"Try me?"

"Can't it wait?"

Castle's tone was light and caring, his words were challenging, "For what? My answer won't change."

Kate started to bite the inside of her cheek, "Really it can wait." Kate was becoming accustomed to answering Castle's never ending questions, but she drew the line at talking about babies while sitting naked next to him in bed.

An image of a very pregnant Kate filled Castle's mind, "We agreed no more waiting. What if I make it easy on you?"

Gnawing on her lip and dodging his gaze, "I'd like that."

"I have followed you for four years, and with each passing year the wistful look that graces your face when you see a baby grows stronger. You want kids of your own."

"Kid."

"Kid? Singular"

"Yeah. One."

"I figured you for a matched set, a girl and a boy."

"Just one, which ever it is."

"Hmm, can't talk you into one of each?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm giving you my answer to the question you won't ask – I'll take two."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 – She Took Him with Her**

**Disclaimer – not mine.**

The bed was empty, the clock said 4:13 am and the house smelled like cookies. Kate staggered out of bed, grabbing a robe from the closetand wandered out of her room following the scent of chocolate.

Castle was moving efficiently about her kitchen. Kate quietly curled up on the couch, hidden by the darkness of the room, to watch as Castle pulled the milk from the fridge, sniffed it for freshness and then took a swig directly out of the carton. He opened several cabinets until he found the glasses. Poured two glasses of milk and placed them on the silver tray, the only entertaining tray she owned.

The timer went off. Castle rescued the cookies from the oven, sliding them off the cookie dish and carefully arranging them next to the waiting glasses of milk. Of course he had to lick his fingers after touching each cookie. On the last cookie he did a little eye roll of satisfaction over his baking.

Castle was lucky he looked so damn cute cooking in boxers or Kate would have scolded him for licking her cookies.

She stifled a giggle as he strolled right by her in route to the bedroom, "Looking for me, Rick?"

A surprised Castle jolted upright, glasses could be heard teeter tottering as he growled, "Woman are you trying to ruin my picnic?"

Kate scurried to her feet, snatched a cookie and ran past him into the bedroom, leaping back into bed as Castle crossed the threshold.

Castle wore a fake scowl, "Spying on me, were you?"

Kate smiled brightly, "It was highly entertaining."

"Hmm."

Flirting with her eyes, Kate purred "More entertaining when I thought you were cooking naked, until you rounded the counter and ruined the fantasy."

Dropping the tray on to the night stand, shedding his boxers Castle crawled cat like back into the bed, pinning her against the headboard. "Fantasizing about me, where you Detective Beckett?"

Squirming from his hold to grab another cookie, waving it in front of his nose, "The fantasy was all about this."

Pushing out a long slow breath of air, "I am going to allow you to eat your cookies, drink your milk and then my dear Detective, then that gossamer robe of yours, as alluring as it is – it will be removed."

Her breath quickened, her palms grew sweaty. There was something so damn attractive about take charge Castle, it made her light headed. Stammering a bit, "Eating is overrated."

* * *

><p>The alarm sounded entirely too early, Kate attempted to swat at it several times, failing miserably as she realized she was tapping Castle on the head. He had crowded into her side of the bed. Taking a minute to regain her bearings, Kate slid out of bed to get ready for work.<p>

Emerging from the shower, Kate tiptoed into the bedroom. Castle was as she left him, face planted into a pillow, her pillow, and snoring softly. Maybe it wasn't really a snore, just peaceful little puffs of air signifying a deep sleep. Kate ran her fingers through the soft hairs on the back of his neck, how many times had she wanted to do that? Countless.

Backing silently away, Kate left her man sleeping. He was her man wasn't he? Really he had been that for years, someone who put up with her shit, had her back and came back for more. The thought of _'one of done'_ flitted through her consciousness, until she shook her head and chased the thought away.

* * *

><p>Castle woke up alone and not alone; the bed was empty of Kate, in her place was a set of keys and a pale yellow envelope with curvy red writing, with one word – his name. He had never seen his name <em>'Rick'<em> in her hand before. It really didn't matter what was inside, the keys to her place where more than enough. They were on their way home.

Showered and dressed, Castle slipped the note in his back pocket. He stripped the bed and wandered about the apartment, carrying the bedding and hoping that Kate had a washer and dryer. In a New York apartment they were a luxury. Bingo – the mysterious looking pantry door in the corner of the kitchen held a stackable washer and dryer, tiny but useable. He would have to do two loads.

Starting the first load, Castle poured a cup of the waiting coffee, not before reading the tiny pink post-it_ 'Careful double octane, needed an extra kick today – xoxoK'_

Castle made a mental note to run home and pick up the coffee to go mug he bought her on Valentine's Day but wasn't confident enough to give to her. He had a closet full of this and that he had picked up since he said _'I love you.'_ Things that reminded him of her, days he wanted to share with her, all things he wanted to give her.

Wandering to the couch with his cup of coffee; stopping first at the front hall closet to retrieve his phone from his coat pocket. Castle made a minor detour to her desk, on the off chance there was anything interesting sitting on top for easy viewing.

He continued to weave his way to the couch after plucking a photo album off the shelf. Everyone needed reading material to accompany their coffee right? Taking a seat on the couch, he placed his coffee on the side table, along with the album. Removing the card from his back pocket, Castle carefully slit open the envelope, making sure to keep in pristine condition. Holding the card in his hand he ran his fingers over the lettering, three little words. Words that once they were released into the universe the world tilted on a brand new axis - .u

The teeniest of arrows was placed in the lower right corner, indicating to flip the card. The back read, _'Poke around as I know you will, lock up and bring me my keys. Only have one set.' – me_

Castle was guilt free as he opened the album sitting in his lap, after all she said had given him her blessing. Perhaps not her blessing, but clearly Kate was resigned to the idea that he was curious by nature.

The inside page had _'Katie'_ neatly written in sharp black pen. Each page held a solitary photo with the year penned in bold black lettering.

Year two in the life of Kate was a keeper, a grinning giggling chubby belly toddler standing in her mother's shoes, with her hand on her hip and a tease in her eyes. Castle smiled to himself, Kate had been Kate since the beginning, expressive eyes and a love of high heels.

The tribute to daredevil Kate came in year six, sitting on a bike while wearing roller skates and a bright pink Barbie bike helmet. Castle was going to save that little nugget of information for a rainy day. His Kate rarely wore pink and her helmet was black.

Castle studied each picture, watching Kate grow before his eyes, celebrating holidays and birthdays with her family.

High school graduation was a beautiful picture of Kate, as tall as she is now, dressed in her cap and gown flanked by her parents, mom and dad beaming with pride, three identical smiles stared back at him - big, bright and bold.

Identical smiles adorned the next page, the Beckett Family was dressed in matching red oversized Stanford hoodies, standing in front of the Stanford Memorial Church.

Castle's heart surged and clenched repeatedly at the next page. In place of a picture a neatly cut piece of black construction paper the size of a picture was neatly centered on the page. The year was written in white, the handwriting had changed – it was Kate's. It was the year Kate's mother died. Looking closer at the sheet before him, Castle noticed the paper had faint stains on it – perhaps the remnants of tears.

Castle quickly flipped to the next page. His heart sunk further into his body, Kate and her dad stood flanking her mom's headstone. The light in her eyes was replaced by a dull haunting. Jim looked weathered and aged.

Shutting his eyes tightly, Castle was rethinking his idea of looking at the album. He began quickly thumbing through the pages; there was no joy in seeing pictures of a wounded Kate where her smile never touched her eyes.

Castle slowed as he approached last year, his breathing grew shallow as he processed the sight of Kate, her cheeks sunken and pale, curled up on an outdoor wicker lounge, clutching a book. A quilt was casually draped over her legs, her eyes were closed. The open oversized button down shirt that she was wearing swallowed Kate's frail body, but failed to conceal the stark white bandage around her chest.

Castle brought the album to the tip of his nose; he wanted to absorb every detail. The etched wooden plaque mounted on the wall behind her read _'Beckett Family Hideaway'_, the windows reflected a grove of maple trees, the front door was a bit worn with use, and the book in Kate's arms was his. The book in her arms was his!

Clutching the album to his chest, the remaining hurt created by Kate's silence drained from Castle's body. Kate had taken him with her the only way she knew how.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11 – We Good Here?**_

_**Disclaimer – really is this necessary? **_

_**Thanks to my proofer for elevating my grammar. **_

Kate made a quick detour to the morgue on her way to the bullpen. Try as she might, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Her only thought was of Castle sleeping at home, her home, her bed.

Lanie darted out the morgue door at the sight of Kate coming down the hallway. Rushing towards her friend, Lanie grabbed Kate by the hand and pulled her into a vacant waiting room.

"So?"

"So?"

Attempting a menacing squint, the ME whined, "Oh please, you should know that Javi should not be trusted with a secret."

Grinning from ear to ear, "Oh that."

"Start talking, Little Castle is in the back and I want details."

"We had a nice dinner."

"Do not sass me, NO ONE grins like that over dinner. You were practically skipping towards me a minute ago. Spill it."

The fresh memories of Castle's hands leaving a fiery trail across her body cause Kate to start to blush. Thoughts of his gifted tongue caused a red hot all-encompassing blush to spread from head to toe.

Lanie began to fan herself, "Damn girl. Looking at you is making me blush and I wasn't even there."

Kate shook her head and chuckled, "Let's just say writing isn't his only talent."

"Mmm, mmm, mmm and I bet you aren't going to give me a single detail."

Sharing a smile with her friend, Kate began to lure Lanie in "Okay, but I need a pinky swear that you won't repeat it."

Lanie nodded in anxious agreement. A pinky swear? It had to be good.

Kate leaned forward and began her tale in a hushed tone "He did do this one thing…

Lanie's mouth hung open in anticipation.

…that no other man even dared to try…"

Kate smothered a smile as Lanie shifted forward on her toes.

"…he baked cookies at four in the morning."

Lanie rocked back on her heals and playfully smacked Kate on the arm, "Baking cookies, you are getting all hot and bothered looking over cookies?"

Kate turned to leave the room and tossed a smile over shoulder, "No, it's what came before and after the cookies."

Lanie cried out "I hate you Kate Beckett!" and chased her friend down the hall. "First I find out from Javi that my best girl is on the date of her life and that is all you give me?"

Kate slowed to allow Lanie to catch her. Speaking softly, "I am in trouble, I want it all."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Dad"<p>

"Hi sweetheart, how is your morning going?"

"How was your night?"

Repressing the joy in his voice, Castle issued a monotone, "Good." He still needed to talk to Alexis about his plan.

"Not better than good?"

Castle knew when his daughter was fishing with a purpose. "Are you with Dr. Parrish?"

"Yes, I am at work."

He couldn't help himself, "Did Detective Beckett stop by to see Dr. Parrish?" Castle knew by the silence on the end of the phone that she had. Damn that kid of his was tough, "How did she look?"

"Look? I thought your night went well."

Castle burst out laughing at the use of the word _'well'_ he wasn't sure he would ever be able to hear that word again without thinking of a delightfully naked Kate. Sputtering to regain his train of thought and the purpose of his call, "Do you have time for lunch today? I have an idea I need to run by you."

* * *

><p>"Hey."<p>

"You up yet?"

"Showered, shaved and doing the second load of laundry."

"Laundry?"

"The sheets…"

"Ah, very sweet of you but you have seen the size of my washer?"

"I know that will need an upgrade." Castle bit his tongue, waiting for Kate's reply. She may or may not be receptive to the idea of him arranging her life.

It took a moment for Kate to decide if Castle was being sweet or controlling. Either way he was inserting himself into her life. "Doesn't matter the size of the machine I don't do laundry."

"You don't do laundry?"

"No, just my um, personal, stuff and quick loads, everything else goes out to fluff 'n fold or the dry cleaners."

Chuckling a bit, "I am learning a lot about you. No laundry, your fridge has been mysteriously taken over by aliens and the homage to Stryofoam has disappeared, and you look incredibly sexy when you're sleeping naked next to me."

Kate softly scolded, "Castle."

Still laughing Castle carried on, "You have no issues with conducting petty theft and did I tell mention you're super-hot?"

Kate couldn't help but smile to herself. Castle was going to be insufferable with his comments and she liked it. "When will I see my keys again?"

"Why Detective Beckett, is that your way of saying you miss me?"

What was it about the roughness in Castle's voice that sent a delightful shiver down her spine? Had it always been there? "Perhaps."

"I'll drop by after I take Alexis to lunch."

"Alexis and lunch is a good idea. I am assuming she knows where you were last night."

"Yes she does and I hope to get her permission to be there again tonight."

Kate used her best flirty voice, "I'm not a sure thing, you know."

Castle growled in return, "Make me beg if you must, but I am coming over."

The man she first met, strong self-assured Castle was a total turn on, as opposed to the tentative, hesitant Castle that had existed since last summer.

Her voice full of innuendo Kate rasped out, before hanging up the phone, "Save the begging for tonight."

Kate noticed her grin in the reflection of the elevator doors, she quickly masked her happiness with a no nonsense let's get to work look as she approached her floor. Espo already had enough on her to make it a long day.

* * *

><p>Walking into the bullpen with a purpose Kate headed to her desk, shucked off her coat in a single move strode past the boys, crooking a finger at them as she headed to the break room. Ryan and Esposito scrambled after her in eager anticipation of a potential confession.<p>

Kate glared at the pair, "If you're thinking it, you're probably right."

Esposito's jaw went slack as Ryan's face was encompassed with a furious blush. The boys were speechless.

The pseudo menacing scowl on Kate's face transformed into a soft grin, "We good here?"


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12 - Team Beckett**_

_**Disclaimer – not mine.**_

_**Thanks for the reviews.**_

Kate entered the morgue in pursuit of Lanie and hoping to avoid Alexis. Maybe avoid wasn't the right word, Kate wanted more of a delay of game, until she caught up with Castle to know how Alexis responded to the lunch time topic of conversation.

No such luck. "Hi, Alexis – is Dr. Parish back from lunch?"

Alexis scrunched up her nose and flashed the signature Castle icy blue questioning eyes, "Um, Detective Beckett, do you have a minute?"

Ugh – Kate wasn't ready for this and she needed to be ready for it. Nervously forcing a smile, "Kate, make it Kate."

Alexis sized her up, Kate squirmed internally, "I think it should be Detective Beckett at work, even Dad calls you Beckett at work."

Kate blurted out, "What about not here?" Crap, this wasn't a conversation she wanted to have with Little Castle at work or anywhere.

Alexis shyly responded, "Kate."

Shifting gears, "Hmm, so you wanted to talk to me?"

"My dad mentioned he would be at your place tonight."

"Okay…." Kate's voice drifted off, unsure of where the conversation was really heading.

Alexis spoke with lighting speed, "My Dad, he is the best, but he needs people. He needs people who will take care of him and who he can take care of."

Kate's eyes locked with the steel blue eyes of Little Castle, "I'd like to think that your dad and I have been taking care of each other for a long time."

"Good. Because I need to trust that you will take care of him while I'm gone."

"Gone?"

Alexis couldn't contain herself; she didn't want to contain herself as she swiftly hugged Kate.

Kate's first reaction was to hug out of obligation, however, as Alexis' hug tightened and her voice quivered, "I was accepted into Stanford and I'm going."

Kate tightened her hold on the young overly adult teenage red head. "Your dad is going to have a coronary."

Alexis released her hold and giggled loudly, "I know…didn't yours?"

Kate smile was full of memories of her parent's fighting over her decision to go to Stanford. Mom had said _'let her go'_ and dad was so Castle like, _'why would she want to leave us? What did we do wrong?'_

Kate ran an unfamiliar hand across Alexis's shoulder, "Pinky swear?"

"Pinky Swear."

Lanie walked in mid pinky swear, "I want in."

Kate turning to her friend, "Fine, is Castle like my dad?" Kate shuttered a bit as she said it, she had always told her mom she wanted to marry someone as great as her dad was, to have a love like theirs.

Lanie asked, "You mean the whole my daughter is smart, beautiful and walks on water attitude? Or the whole my daughter should live at home forever theory?"

Laughing Kate answered, "Both. I like the first part, but living at home again? Never going to happen."

Alexis interjected, "Why don't you join us for dinner one night? I'll tell my dad during dinner that I am going to Stanford, he won't cry in front of you."

Lanie choked on her own laughter, "Don't count on it, your dad will be dabbing his eyes with a napkin claiming he has something in it."

"Or worse yet, he'll pretend to choke to death to guilt you into staying." Kate began acting out Castle's reaction to the new, she was dabbing her eye with a tissue while simultaneously choking just as Castle swung open the morgue doors to three laughing ladies, "I want in."

The sound of his voice sent a pleasurable shiver down Kate's spine; she could feel herself getting fidgety with the desire to touch him. Kate played with the zipper on her jacket to keep her hands busy, she hadn't anticipated how great a challenge it would be NOT to touch him.

"Sorry Dad – girl talk."

"Is this how it's going to be?" Smiling happily and pointing at Lanie and Kate, "I am not too sure I trust you two with my daughter, she is still young and impressionable."

Alexis swatted her dad's arm, "I think you just described yourself –young and impressionable."

Kate hopped up on the empty morgue table to take a seat. She had to do something to restrain herself from brushing back the hair that was flopping in front of Castle's eyes. "Oh Castle, don't worry, we woon't damaged Alexis' psyche any more than you already have."

"Oh Beckett, you wound me." Castle rammed his fists into his coat pockets to keep from snaking an arm around Kate to pull her in for a kiss.

Lanie muttered, "I hear she does more than that to you."

Alexis blushed at the ME's comment,, "Time for me to leave, bye Dad." And flashing a warm smile, she added, "Detective Beckett."

Kate could see a storm brewing in Lanie's eyes, she was about to say something wildly inappropriate or embarrassing, "So, um Lanie, do you have the updated labs? I need to get going."

At that Castle loudly cleared his throat, "Harrumph…We."

Kate shot Castle a menacing look and rolled her eyes, "Lanie, the report please."

* * *

><p>Lanie started counting backwards from 100 as she watched as Beckett and Writer Boy walked towards the elevator. How long would it take for them to touch?<p>

At 95 the back of Kate's hand brushed the back of Castle's.

At 94 their heads turned in unison and they shared a shy smile.

At 89 Castle looped his forefinger around her pinky. Their hands swung casually between them.

At 80 they reached for the elevator button at the same time.

At 72 Castle placed his hand on the small of her back and guided Kate into the elevator.

At 68 Lanie could see Castle crowding Kate into the corner.

At 67.5 the doors were shut and Lanie was cursing out loud as she headed back to work. She was going to miss out on the good stuff.

* * *

><p>Castle wasn't touching her, he didn't need to – she was breathless. He was laughing with his eyes as he watched Kate attempt to control her breathing.<p>

Kate flicked her tongue across her top lift and her eyes dropped to his mouth. Castle closed the final space between them, breathing into her mouth he huffed out, "Miss me?" Right before he moved away to stand a respectful distance away.

Kate wrinkled up her nose, and narrowed her eyes at him, "You'll pay for that."

"Looking forward to it."

Kate stuck her hand out, "Keys, please."

Castle pulled her keys from his pocket and neatly dropped them into the palm of her hand.

Kate gave her keys a quick once over, "I was thinking… " one night and she was already using his words? Crap. "..maybe you should hold on to them and make yourself a copy of my apartment key."

Castle beamed, "Really?"

Kate grabbed his ear with lightning speed and gave it a good twist, "Unless you already did." Of course he did, her keys were out of order on her key ring. Total writer move, a cop never would have made such a rookie mistake.

Castle hopped on one foot as she gave his ear one final twist, "Ouch, ouch, I did, I did."

The elevator doors opened to the bullpen - Kate was wearing a gloating smile and Castle was rubbing his ear to chase the away the stinging pain, "That's wasn't nice."

Kate muttered out of the side of her mouth, "You should have asked."

Without moving his lips Castle whispered, "I was afraid you would say no."

Turning to send him and evil glare, "You'll never know."

The boys watched as Castle and Beckett approached them, "Javi, think they're fighting?"

"Yep, that didn't last long." Esposito poked Ryan with a pencil; Beckett and Castle were walking so close together, Esposito was surprised they didn't trip each other, "Hold on bro."

Esposito and Ryan pitched forward in their seats as Castle perched on the edge of Beckett's desk. Beckett was looking down at him as she took off her coat. Try as they might, they only heard the rumble of Castle's voice and then, then Beckett was batting her eyes at Castle.

Ryan pulled back in disgust, "Not the girly flirty thing, I can't take it."

Esposito jumped out of his chair, "Castle, break room."

Ryan watched as Castle jumped in surprise and Beckett narrowed her eyes. Ryan dashed into the break room and waited for Esposito and Castle to join him.

Castle quickly asked Kate, "Should I go?"

Chuckling a bit, Kate smiled and said, "If you're not out in fifteen, I'll come rescue you."

Castle stuttered, "Make that ten" as Esposito clamped a hand on his shoulder and led him away.

Shutting the door with dramatic flair Esposito crossed his arms and ordered Castle to sit.

Ryan mimicked Esposito's pose and repeated "You heard him, have a seat, Writer Boy."

Esposito cocked a brow at his partner. "Writer boy? Really bro?" Ryan was a great cop and the guy you wanted to have your back in the fox hole, but when it came to threatening friends, Ryan didn't have it in him.

Ryan shrugged his shoulders, "Too much?"

Esposito uncrossed his arms and placed a hand on his gun, "Let me do the talking."

Castle was fighting an internal battle to laugh out loud at the comedy show he was being treated to or to throw up in his mouth as Esposito stood over him fingering his gun.

Esposito spoke softly, so softly it spooked Castle. "You need to understand one thing, Beckett was our girl first and we will always be on Team Beckett."

Rising to his feet, Castle put an arm around each cop and pulling them close, "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13 - Negotiate**_** Numbers**

Beckett hung up the phone with authority, "Espo, we have a lead off of last night's work. The wife of one of the men we talked to found my card in her husband's pocket and would like to meet. Castle and I will meet her, while you run down everything you can get on her husband, 'Mitchell Hawkins.'"

"You got it, boss."

"Let's go, Castle."

The ride to the coffee shop to meet their informant started as it always did. Castle fiddled with the radio until Beckett scolded him, except this time she snatched his hand mid-dial and brought it to rest on her thigh.

Castle cheerfully asserted, "Why Detective Becket, I would have thought hand holding would be off limits at work."

Smiling innocently Kate replied, "What they can't see can't hurt."

"Are you going to tell me what you and my daughter were talking about?"

Kate countered, "Are YOU going to tell me what you and your daughter talked about over lunch?"

Sizing her up, Castle muttered reluctantly, "Are we agreeing that divulging conversations with Alexis is off limits?"

Massaging her thumb over the back of his hand, "It's only fair to her." Kate couldn't miss the pout on Castle's face if she wanted to. "Alexis and I need to have a relationship outside of you and me. If I tell you everything she says and you freak out and run to her, she'll never trust me."

"Freak out? Did you say freak out? Am I going to freak out?"

Kate could see the wild world of outrageous theories spinning madly in Castle's head. Squeezing his hand ever so softly, "No, but when it comes to Alexis you tend to react first and think later."

Castle didn't have a reply. Kate was right and they both knew it.

Kate knew by the look on his face that Castle wanted to change the subject from Alexis and the possibility that someone else knew something about his daughter that he didn't know. "Enjoy your time alone in my apartment?"

A smile crept over Castle's face and he waggled an eyebrow, "You have no idea."

Keeping her tone light and teasing, "Does that mean you found my lingerie drawer?"

Castle shifted in his seat, "You have a DRAWER?" It took all the self-control he could muster not to ask what she was wearing underneath her button down blouse or asking her to pop a button and give him a preview.

"I'm surprised you didn't find it."

"I found something better."

Kate was afraid to ask. What could possibly be better than lingerie in the eyes of Richard Castle?

"Afraid to ask?"

"Confused."

Castle held his breath for a moment before turning in his seat to face her, "A photo album."

Kate instantly knew the album he was talking about, it was written on his face. She slowly withdrew her hand from his. Castle's touch suddenly became a source of discomfort. That album wasn't intended for public consumption.

Castle felt her withdrawing, "I thought it was beautiful."

Glancing quickly from the traffic in front of her, Kate caught his eye, "Yeah?"

Throwing her a reassuring smile, Castle murmured "I hope Alexis has an album like that one day."

Kate squinted at him, her face said she didn't understand.

"A collection of landmark photos representing her life that includes pictures of only one man other than her father. A one and done."

'_One and done?_' Did Castle just say, _'One and done?'_ Kate's heart raced, her chest tightened. She couldn't even look at him as the blush crept up her neck.

Kate was relieved to be arriving at their destination; she pretended maneuvering the Crown Vic into its parking spot required extra concentration. Climbing out of the car Kate dodged his piercing look. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?

Kate turned her head a bit; Castle was still staring at her, pleading with his eyes for a response. She had to say something as they walked towards the café. "Are you like this with all the women you date?

Gesturing between the two of them, "This here, what we are doing is way past dating."

Kate was dumbfounded, _'if they weren't dating what were they doing?'_

* * *

><p>Kate wanted to approach the contact on her own. Castle ordered himself a coffee and took up residence at a table across the coffee shop. Castle had come as close to saying it without saying it as he could. Castle knew he needed to talk to Jim Beckett before he talked to Kate. Castle let out a little chuckle, how was he going to talk to Jim Beckett? He didn't have his number or know where he lived.<p>

Calling Esposito was out of the question, he was far too loyal to Lanie and Kate to keep a secret. Keeping his eyes on Kate and the informant, he made a decision and made a call.

At the sound of Ryan answering with his perfunctory "Ryan", Castle blurted out, "I need a favor."

"The last favor I did for you earned me week of Beckett's 5s."

"How would you like the Ferrari for an entire weekend?"

Ryan was itching to say yes, but he knew if Castle was offering his Ferrari he needed something big. Ryan wasn't overly confident he wanted to be involved in any more of Castle's schemes. "What do you want?"

Schooling himself Castle said slowly, "Can you get me Jim Beckett's contact info?"

Ryan's long silence was followed by, "I gotta go."

Castle was in a panic; Ryan didn't even let him explain before hanging up the phone. Castle immediately hit redial, it rang twice and went to voice mail. Crap. Ryan had declined his call.

Castle juggled his phone from hand to hand. Now what? The screen on his phone blinked signaling a text from Ryan. He was all thumbs as he tried to unlock his phone. It only took three attempts to correctly enter his own four number password.

Ryan's text was simple, _'You didn't get this from me – JB – 212-555-5555.'_

Castle slipped his phone into his pocket and returned to watching Kate as she causally chatted with their contact. The conversation looked dull from his perspective. He was right, boring – Kate was getting up to order a coffee from the take out line. She silently beckoned him to join her with her eyes.

Castle ambled over to her, keeping an eye on the contact that was now hunched over making a call, with her back turned to the room.

Kate whispered, "Follow her; nothing dramatic just casually follow her. We need to know what her next move is. I'll be a couple blocks back."

Castle stifled his excitement, but still managed to quietly burst out with, "You're letting me tail a suspect?"

Ignoring him, other than an eye roll, Kate ordered her coffee and moved away from him as she waited for her caffeine to be poured. Castle mentally smacked himself in the head for his not so subtle response.

He ordered a cup of black house blend to make sure he wasn't caught waiting for coffee or tailing after the informant without the beverage she watched him order, but the informant wasn't watching him, she was eyeing Kate. The moment Kate's name was called to pick up her coffee and she turned back towards the counter, the informant was out the door.

Castle quickly walked out the door to follow the woman, who was speed walking her way down the street until a grey minivan pulled up and she hoped in, though not before looking over her shoulder. Castle whipped out his phone and took a picture of the licenses plate and sauntered back to the coffee shop with a satisfied grin.

Bumping into Beckett as she walked out the door, Castle was prepared to take advantage of the contact until he saw her eyes. Her eyes were all work, "Back so soon?"

As Beckett and Castle travelled back to the precinct Castle sent his photo to Ryan to run the plates and Kate caught him up on her findings. Not much really, just the tell tail nugget of someone providing an alibi when they weren't even a suspect…yet.

* * *

><p>It was dinner hour and Kate was perched on the edge of a desk staring at the murder board, chewing on the tip of her pen. They hadn't located the link between the victim, the informant, her husband and the grey minivan. The team was would need to dig a little deeper.<p>

She could hear the boys shuffling papers in the background waiting for her to send them home. Some days – like today she wished they would just ask. "Okay guys let's call it."

Ryan was out of his chair like a rocket; marriage had done that to him. Ryan didn't love his job any less and was willing to pull his weight, but sitting around watching Beckett think about dead ends wasn't as much fun as eating dinner with his wife at a reasonable hour.

Esposito circled towards Kate, nodding towards Castle playing with his phone at her desk, "You should go home too, boss; I can wait for the background info on the owner of the minivan."

Beckett's eyes flicked to Castle and pack to Espo, "Thanks, but I can wait, you returned my car."

"That I did, later then." Esposito gave Castle a wink on his way out. She was all his.

Castle sat down beside Kate, "Going to be a while?"

Kate answered in an apologetic voice, "An hour or two. I need to wait for the file and looking at the board without all the daytime bustle helps me put together the story."

"You're suggesting I leave?"

"Go see Alexis and meet me at my place later."

"Can I let myself in? I was planning on making dinner."

"Dinner sounds good."

Rubbing his hand across his face, Castle asked "Still mad about the key?" He knew he had an annoying habit of taking over the lives of the people he loved. Alexis could write a 'tell-all' novel about the stunts he had pulled over the years.

Kate hooking her ankle with his, "I would have liked to have decided to give it to you myself."

Castle's eyes were dancing, "I think Detective Beckett, that the critical piece of evidence is that you were ready to."

Kate stared at the board to avoid making eye contact. "Did I say that?"

Castle clambered to his feet pushing a leg between hers, as close as he dare stand in the precinct. "No, and you didn't have to, exactly like you didn't have to ask how many babies I want…by the way I believe we still need to negotiate the number."

Kate let out an exasperated sigh, "Go home Castle, see your kid, use your key and woo me with your culinary skills and then maybe, just maybe, we can negotiate numbers."


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14 – icanhandleserious**_

_**Disclaimer – not mine**_

_**Warning – I am moving at a pace faster than I would like, need to wrap this up before 'Always'. Apologizes for grammar errors – let me know and I will correct them. **_

Kate lingered at her front door before quietly slipping her key into the lock. She wasn't sure why she wanted to sneak up on Rick, but she did.

Rick had the music on and Kate could hear him singing along. Of course Rick was singing along, occasionally she would catch him humming along when they were in the Crown Vic. In the beginning she would give him a side eyed glance forcing him to stop. Somewhere over the past couple years of working together Kate had begun to welcome his humming.

Kate felt a little foolish at the warm tingle in her stomach as she toed off her heels and placed them beside Rick's shoes. Shrugging out of her coat and leaving it on the floor to avoid the sound of the creaking closet door. In silence Kate made her way down the hallway to lean up against the wall opposite the kitchen.

Kate watched as Rick moved effortless around her kitchen. Slowing only to bop his head to the music or taste his wine. He was wearing a back apron with light charcoal stripes, a white t-shirt and the jeans she loved, his feet were bare. Rick didn't wear jeans nearly enough for her liking. The tingle in her belly turned to a fire. Rick Castle looked damn good in her kitchen.

Rick jumped and let out a little shriek when he noticed Kate silently studying him, "You said you would let me know when you were close."

Graceful as a feline, Kate deliberately stalked Rick. Taking her time as she approached him, she purred, "I am close and getting closer."

Grinning from ear to ear, Rick slipped his arms around her waist and tugged her towards him. Kate snaked her hands behind his head, "You look good."

Rick wore a devilish grin, "You look good too, better if you were naked."

Scolding him softly, Kate murmured in his ear, "You are incorrigible." as she pressed her body to his and nipped along his jawline mumbling, "Wanted to do that all day."

Rick moistened his lips, and pressed his to hers, slowly easing his tongue into her mouth. Her lips parted, the beat of her heart quickened. Kate encouraged him by tangling her tongue with his. The softness of her lips that made Rick wanted to stay where he was the rest of his life – just kissing her. The oven timer had other ideas.

Rick reluctantly pulled away from a breathy Kate. "Maybe we should let dinner burn?"

Kate gently bit his neck, before pushing out of his hold, "Smells too good and you're not cheating me out of dinner two nights in a row."

Rick snickered as he placed his hands on Kate's shoulders, spun her around to propel her towards the bedroom. "You have twenty minutes before I feed you – go change."

Kate locked up the trappings of work and quickly stripped off her clothes. She took the time to clip her hair up into a messy bun before entering the shower. The hot water sluiced across her shoulders, she didn't feel the normal sense of relief that came with a cleaning shower after work. Chuckling, Kate realized Rick had kissed the tension right out of her.

Dinner had been rescued from the oven and left to rest on the cooktop. Rick rushed towards the bedroom, they had ten minutes and he was going to make the most of it. Tossing pillows towards the foot of the bed, Rick climbed onto the bed and propped himself up with a view into the bathroom.

Stepping out of the shower Kate grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body. Damn. Not as good of an angle as he thought, he saw more towel than Kate.

As he swung his feet off the bed for a better view, Kate popped out of the bathroom, still wrapped in a towel. Kate kidded, "Thought you were cooking?"

"We have a few minutes." Rick patted the bed next to him, "Come cuddle – I'll behave."

Putting her hands on her hips, "Hmmpf…I have a feeling we have two very different definitions of behaving."

Rick wiggled brow and held up his hands in mock surrender, "Guilty as charged."

Kate leisurely walked towards her dresser; with her back to Rick she dropped her towel to the floor.

Rick bit down on his knuckle to prevent himself from groaning out loud. From Rick's perspective Kate bent over with agonizing slowness. He slid to the edge of the bed as she pulled open the bottom drawer to extract a pair of black capri form fitting yoga pants.

Turning towards Rick, Kate decided to continue teasing him by slowly dipping one long leg and then the next into the waiting pant legs. Shimming a bit as she pulled on her pants with the sole intent of making him squirm.

Perspiration began to form into little beads on his forehead. Kate asked in a casual tone, as she rolled the tops of her pants down to expose the line of her hips. "Rick you okay? You look a bit flushed."

Rick croaked out raspy, "Good." He knew the beautiful minx standing before him was waiting for him to wave the proverbial white flag. Rick rammed his hands under his legs, so the weight of his body would prevent them from reaching out and grabbing her.

Kate reached into to her dresser and pulled out a sheer black camisole. Stretching like a cat, Kate slipped the top over her torso. Kate didn't need eye contact to understand the affect she was having on Rick, the sound of his bare feet slapping on the wood floor said it all.

Reaching her, Rick growled, "Dinner time." turned on the ball of his foot and stalked out of the room. Rick picked up his pace as Kate's laughter chased him down the hallway. Kate mentally patted herself on the back; teach him to tease her in an elevator.

Kate continued giggling as she approached the kitchen, "Need help?"

Rick's eyes flicked over her body, he let out a sigh of relief; she was wearing a zip up hoodie, "Pretty proud of yourself huh?"

Kate flashed him a flirty look that said _'What are you talking about?' _moving silently to help Rick, she transported the salad and wine to the table. She left the Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken with Baby Potatoes for Rick to carve and plate.

* * *

><p>Kate frowned as Rick moved the placing setting next to her to the chair opposite to her, "Punishing me?"<p>

Smirking, Rick stretched out his words, "Nooooo, making sure you get to finish your dinner. After that little show you put on you're going to need your energy later."

Kate rolled her eyes, lifted her wine glass and before taking a sip, asked "Time for a question?" Crap, doing a reverse striptease for Rick required less courage then asking him a question. She had asked him the question a dozen times in her mind, now it was time to make it come out of her mouth.

The level of seriousness in her eyes was concerning, "Sure, as long as you wipe that somber look off your face."

Running her hand through her hair and forcing a smile, "Earlier you said we are _'way past dating' _what does that mean?"

Castle's face softened, "Dating is courtship, a trial period prior to the permanent period. When two people, like us, engage in social activities to assess the other's suitability as a partner, which we have been doing that for years – movies, dinner, lunch, meeting each other's families, coffee, vacations…"

Kate's mouth fell open, "Vacations? What Vacation?"

Wearing an impish grin Castle shrugged his shoulders, "LA?"

"You are counting LA as a vacation?"

"Sure, you and me out of town at a hotel, that equals a vacation." Castle's eyes began to twinkle and he stretched his legs out underneath the table and captured her legs between his. "And don't forget that bathing suit. You still have it don't you?"

Kate rubbed a hand across her face, and pursed her lips together, "Can we be serious?"

Rick's eyes narrowed and his voice grew rough, "Are you really ready for me to be serious? Because Kate, I am ready to be serious."

Kate took an overly large bite of food and chewed slowly. Was she ready to serious? She thought she was but the tone in his voice and his icy blue eyes had doubts creeping into her mind.

Kate's eyes were tentative and she was nervously pushing the food around on her plate as she washed down a mouthful of food with a swig of wine. Kate huffed out her reply as if it was one word, "Icanhandleserious."

Rick leaned across the table and slowly traced his fingers across the palm of her hand. Waiting until their eyes were locked, "It's simple. I am going to marry you."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15 - Boxers**_

_**Disclaimer - not mine.**_

Unsure of the time, Kate raised her head to view the clock - it was 2:17 am. Rick was sleeping soundly beside her, his chest cemented to her back, his right arm under her head and his left arm curved around her waist. It was going to be impossible to leave the bed without disturbing him.

Kate wiggled a few times hoping that her movement would cause an unconscious reaction from Rick, forcing him to loosen his hold. Unfortunately, he only burrowed further into her and slung a leg over hers – did it matter? Where was she going to go? It was her apartment.

Truth was she didn't want to leave; Kate loved the way he held her and smothered her as he slept. Silencing her mind was the problem – their dinner conversation was on repeat in her mind and she had no way of turning it off.

"…_I am going to marry you."_

_She couldn't breathe, "Is that a question or a statement?"_

_His eyes turned an entirely new shade of blue as he lifted her hand to his lips, "You'll know when I ask."_

_Kate wasn't sure if she stalling or covering her emotions, "We haven't agreed on a number – I'm a one and you're a two. Shouldn't that be decided first? Among other things."_

"_I will agree to one and reserve the right to renegotiation. See how easy that was?" Rick was grinning at her like a mad man. He was all little boy and man rolled into one, "What other things?"_

_ Kate couldn't suppress her grin any longer, "Like how crazy you are."_

_ "About you or in general?"_

_ Kate rolled her eyes, he was insane and slightly adorable,"In general."_

_ "Someone needs to be the fun one; it didn't damage Alexis too much."_

_ "Are you saying I'm not fun?"_

_ "Nooo, every relationship requires balance. We are complementary opposites."_

"_We need each other to breath." There she had said it. _

His warm breath on the back of her neck caused her to stir from her thoughts; Rick's voice was gravely with sleep, "Stop thinking so loud, I can't sleep."

Tracing a finger along his forearm, Kate pouted, "Not thinking."

"Yes you are."

Kate whispered, "Are you really ready for complicated?"

With lighting speed Rick flipped her over in his arms "What does Socrates say _'the uncomplicated life is not worth living'_?"

"That's close writer man, unexamined life, in all seriousness are you ready for me? I will never be uncomplicated."

Thinking back to the hurt in her eyes when he had stood in the bull pen and pronounced his life needed someone '_uncomplicated.'_, "I did some damage with that remark didn't I?"

Furrowing her brow, yet trailing her fingers across his chest, "Yeah, it was a bit of a FU."

Castle didn't know how to respond, she was right. He chose to make light of it, because in life laughing at something painful is often the quickest way to put it behind you. Castle whipped back the sheets and sat up in bed, "How about this? Run your eyes over this magnificent body and pick a spot, other than my face, I am partial to keeping it in its current ruggedly handsome state, and I will tattoo, _'I love complicated_' wherever you decided."

What was it about this man? He could make her laugh in any situation, "Anywhere?" Her eyes lingering below his exposed waist.

With terror in his eyes and horror in his voice, Rick screamed, "Oh no! OH NO!"

* * *

><p>"Hey, sleepy head wake up."<p>

Kate peered out of one eye and then the next. Castle was standing in front of her dressed and holding a cup of coffee. "What time is it?"

"5:45, you have plenty of time. I wanted you to know I was leaving, promised Alexis I would meet her for breakfast."

Sitting up in bed, Kate proclaimed "You Castles' eat early."

"Someone helped my daughter secure an internship with the most unpredictable hours. I didn't see her last night."

Kate shook her head as she gulped down the steaming coffee, "Ah NO, Alexis managed to get the internship all on her own."

Rick wrinkled his brow as he shoved her over to perch on the edge of the bed, "Not what she said."

Setting her cup down on the bedside table, Kate circled her arms around his waist, "My involvement was limited to telling Lanie that if you freaked out I would handle you."

Rick gently pushed Kate back into the pillows, "Well, Detective Beckett, you're lucky that I like the way you handle me."

He ran his tongue along the top line of her lip, trailing it down her neck to the soft valley where the scar from the bullet marked her skin. Rick planted open mouth kisses down to her belly button. He felt the hitch in her breath as she arched her body towards him. God she smelled good.

Kate began to quickly unbutton his shirt, "How much time do we have?"

Rick grunted in reply, "Long enough" as he kicked off his shoes and pulled back the remains of the sheet that covered her.

Kate lightly scratched her nails across his exposed chest before reaching for his belt buckle. Making short work of his buckle, she eagerly popped up the button of his jeans as Rick knelt on the bed above her and tossed his shirt to the floor.

Kate murmured, "You're going commando!"

Standing to shuck off his jeans, "I couldn't find my boxers."

Rolls of laughter escaped Kate's body, "Did you look under the dining room table?"

Rick straddled her and growled, "Yeeessss that is where I found my pants!"

Wrapping a hand behind his neck, Kate brought him to her and murmured, "Hmm, let's worry about your boxers later."


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16 – Extraordinary**_

_**Disclaimer – not mine**_

_(Two Days Later)_

"Rick, come in."

"Thank you for seeing me, sir."

"I thought we established you were to call me Jim."

"Right, um, Jim." Rick nervously extended his hand, hoping that the sweat on his palms would magically disappeared.

Jim clasped his hand, feeling the slick perspiration on Rick's hand he asked "Nervous, son?"

Rick cursed himself. This wasn't the impression he want to make. "A bit."

Jim pointed towards the couch, "Take a seat. Need a drink?"

Rick croaked out a "Yes, water please." He had never done this before, he should have prepared more. Who was he kidding? He hadn't prepared at all. The idea had taken over Rick's mind and he was running with it, storming the beaches so to speak.

Jim handed Rick a class of water and settled in the arm chair beside him. Jim leaned back in his chair and waited and waited.

Rick rolled the cool glass between his sweaty hands. Occasionally his mouth would move to form words, his lips would part, only to have his voice betray him. Rick would dip his head and take a sip of water, clear his throat and start the routine all over again.

Jim broke the silence, "I am surprised to see you."

"I'm a little surprised to be here." Shit, that made it sound as if he hadn't thought his plan through.

"If you've come looking for help I am probably not your guy."

"Help?"

"To apologize to Katie."

"Apologize?"

"For your recent behavior."

Castle face grimace as he shrunk into his seat. "She told you."

"No details, just that you were how did she put it? Oh yes, _'behaving like a jackass'_."

Rick's head was reeling; his throat felt thick, his plan was careening off course. Scrubbing a hand across his face and clearing his throat, slipping his hand in his pocket to gather strength from the box he had been carrying with him since early that morning, "Yes, I was a jackass, I am done with that."

The crinkles around Jim's eyes revealed the hint of a smile. Unfortunately Rick was unaware as he was still staring at the floor. Jim looked at his watch, "Don't mean to rush you Rick, but I am headed to Katie's for dinner."

Rick's voice cracked, "Tonight?"

Jim nodded his head, "This summer Katie started cooking again. I think she is addicted now."

"Addicted?"

"Katie has always been a perfectionist, high achiever – like your Alexis."

Rick smiled at the mention of his daughter's name, "Tell me more about this addiction."

Debating about divulging the catalyst for Katie's new hobby, Jim continued, "Over the summer Katie was hit hard with a case of cabin fever topped off with heavy dose of depression. Normally she would have laced up her running shoes and taken off for a couple hour run on the trail. That wasn't an option. Cooking occupied her mind and busied her hands."

"Therapy of sorts?"

"Exactly, she embraced the challenge of creating something tasty and beautiful. I loved it. Each morning I placed a pile of neatly stacked recipes next to her breakfast plate. She'd sift through them, pick one, and send me off to the store to get the ingredients." Pausing a moment, "It gave me a way to hover and take care of Katie without overwhelming her."

"And now it's a tradition?"

"That's right; we try and get together every couple weeks. I shop and Katie cooks." Checking his watch again, Jim rose to his feet, "Well, Rick now that you know Katie can cook – anything else you need from me? I need to be on my way."

Rick found his feet and chugged the last of his water, "It's about your daughter…"

Jim's face was unreadable, but the twinkle in his eye was encouraging.

Rick felt his confidence surging to the surface, "I think you know I am in love with your daughter."

Crossing his arms, Jim Beckett cast Rick a sincere look, "Yes, I do."

"I am going to marry her on Saturday and I would like you to be there."

The twinkle in Jim's eye was becoming luminous, "Aren't you supposed to ask me?"

"That had been my plan until I realized if I asked and you said no, I would marry her anyway."

"Katie knows about this?"

"No sir."

Jim Beckett bear hugged Rick and patted him on the back, "Good luck, son."

Castle was disappointed; there was no interrogation, no advice, "That's it?"

"Do you need more?"

"Words of wisdom?"

"Always remember no truer words have ever been in written in a piece of fiction than your dedication in '_Heat Wave'_, - _To the extraordinary KB._ My daughter is extraordinary and the day you forget that is the day I come looking for you."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 – Fathers and Daughters in Tandem**

**Disclaimer – not mine.**

Jim glanced over his daughter as she walked into the kitchen. Her eyes held a brightness that he hadn't seen in years. It was cliché, but it warmed his heart. "Hey Katie, I finishing putting the groceries away and set out the eggs like you asked."

Hugging her dad, "Thanks. Hungry?"

Jim seized up his daughter one more time, she was almost glowing. "Starving."

Kate gave him a skeptical look, "You okay?"

"Yes."

"You have a funny look on your face."

"Funny how?"

Kate was squinting her eyes at her father, he was holding out on her. "You're all smiley."

Jim shrugged his shoulders trying to play off his happiness, "Go change, I'm hungry and you have lasagna to make."

"Yes, I do."

Jim watched as Kate meandered to her room, he would have to call Rick and thank him. His daughter looked down right cheery.

Kate turned to look at her dad; he was still wearing a goofy grin.

"Okay, now you are creeping me out."

"A dad can't smile at his daughter?"

* * *

><p>Savoring a bit of lasagna, Kate declared it delicious. She was going to need to make if for Castle, see if he could tell that she used crepes rather than pasta. Looking for reassurance that the recipe was as good as she thought it was, "Dad do you like it?"<p>

"It's a keeper. So, Katie have you started dating again?"

Kate's eyes bugged out and her body recoiled, "What made you ask that?"

Jim's face crinkled into one large grin, as he pointed and deadpan delivered, "Well, it could be because over there, underneath the buffet, looks like a pair of men's boxers."

Kate followed her father's pointing finger and whipped her head around. Crap.

Staring her dead in the eye was a pair of batman boxers, impossible to pass off as a napkin or anything she would even ever own. Kate wanted to die, curl up and die. Kate wasn't blushing she was burning alive.

"So, are you going to tell me who those belong to?"

"Seconds, can I interest you in seconds?"

"That would be great." Jim stood up with his plate in hand and reached for hers, "And you?"

"Yeah, yeah that would be great."

Kate jumped out of her chair and lunged for the offending boxers. Cursing herself Kate knew she should have looked harder for them.

At the sound of the scraping chair legs across the wood floor Jim called out, "Katie, I hear you."

Double Crap.

Returning to the table with seconds for both of them, Jim decided to have a little more fun. "Is your friend Rick Castle over being a_ 'jackass'_?"

Narrowing her eyes to question him, "Why do you ask?"

"Last time I was here you were pretty upset with him."

What was her dad up to? "Rick and I worked through that."

"Oh, so it's Rick now. I don't believe I have ever heard you call him by his first name."

Squirming a bit, Kate asserted "It just depends."

Jim wanted to ask what it depended on, but watching his daughter turn a crimson red as she wiggled in her chair was confirmation enough. "If it counts for anything I like him. You should hold on to him Katie."

Kate rose from her seat, circled behind her father and wrapped her arms around her his shoulders, "I'm going to try."

Jim twisted in his seat to catch his daughter's eyes, "You'll do just fine Katie, just fine."

* * *

><p>The sound of approaching footsteps was Rick's cue to power down the murder board and slip the ring box into his pocket. He really shouldn't be looking at the board, it only upset him. Stirring up guilt over not telling Kate about it, even though Rick had convinced himself it wasn't important.<p>

"Hi Dad."

"Hey Sweetheart, how was your day?"

Alexis plopped into the chair beside her father, "My day? How was your day? Didn't you visit with Mr. Beckett?

Smiling Rick replied, "I did."

Clutching his forearm, Alexis pleaded. "Details Dad, details."

"I started the visit off with a violent case of involuntary weight loss; the sweat was pouring off me."

"Come on Dad, you should be an old pro at it by now."

Smiling shyly at his daughter, "First time I ever asked for permission."

Alexis blinked rapidly, "Seriously?"

"It was a second marriage for both Gina and I. As for your mother, mmm, an inebriated elopements don't require permission."

"Why didn't I know this about you and mom?"

"Not exactly something I am proud of…" pulling Alexis in for a hug, "…I would do it all again to guarantee you."

"Did you get Kate's ring?"

Rick reached into his pocket and pulled out the small box and handed it to Alexis. "Tell me what you think."

Alexis rotated the box in her hand for a moment, "This makes it all feel so real." Opening the container with great care Alexis' mouth formed an astonished, "WOW."

"Try it on."

Alexis carefully slipped the 3.01 carat cushion cut diamond with a tapered Cathedral Platinum setting, "If she says no, I'll take it."

Laughing Rick held out his hand for the ring, "I take it you approve."

Slowly removing the ring from her finger, Alexis returned it, "It's sleek, strong and classic all at the same time." A smile crept over her face, "And really, really big."

"Too much?"

"Maybe. What about work?"

Rick reached into his other pocket and pulled out two matching Paloma Picasso Hammered rings in platinum, "Our wedding bands are for every day." Rick dropped the rings into Alexis' outstretched hand. "See they are already dented, great for work."

Alexis nodded her head in agreement, "How are you going to propose?"

Crinkling his eyes into a smile, "I have it all set, but I would like to share it with Kate first."

Alexis stood up and circled her arms around her father's shoulders, hugging him fiercely, and "I am sure you'll do a great job."

Rick leaned his head back against his daughter's shoulder, "Thanks. How is your wedding planning coming along?"

Alexis slid into her father's lap, "Cake, flowers and food are all set."

At first Rick was hesitant to put the task of planning a wedding in less than five days on his daughter, but like everything she did Alexis was excelling at it. "You move fast. Maybe you shouldn't go to college, just stay home and become a wedding coordinator."

"About that, I have decided where I am going."

Rick straightened up in his seat, almost dumping his daughter on the floor, "Are you going to make me cry? Because I am getting married in a few days and I don't want puffy eyes."

Playfully smacking her dad in the chest, Alexis announced, "Oh you are going to cry alright."

Closing his eyes and silently praying that he doesn't over react, "I'm ready."

"At first I was going to Stanford, I even asked Kate to help break the news."

Rick peered out of the slit of one eye, "Kate knew before me?" Rick wasn't sure if he was jealous or pleased.

"Yes, but I changed my mind. I am going to Columbia."

Alexis was right, he was going to cry. Rick hugged her intensely, "Thank you, thank you, and thank you."

"Do you want to know why?"

Smiling happily as he wiped away a tear, "Don't care."

Alexis slipped off his lap, "I need to go practice."

"Practice?"

"My wedding gift."


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18 – "You have a beach front?"**_

_**Disclaimer- not mine.**_

_**Forgive the typos, trying to finish before 9:00pm EST.**_

Martha arrived home from her mini vacation to find her son handing a collection of envelopes on fancy stationary to a messenger. Martha kissed Rick's cheek as she floated past him, "Planning a party?"

Rick felt some of his joy escape his body, "Yes, I sent you a text…on Saturday, in the Hamptons."

Eyeing her son suspiciously, Martha commented, "Yes, but you still haven't told me why you are spiriting Alexis and I away to the Hamptons for the weekend. How will I know how to pack?"

"Pack for a wedding, a nice afternoon affair on the beach. You know the kind, barefoot men in black suits, women in sundresses, the strains of violin music drifting softly above the sound of the waves."

Martha narrowed her eyes at her son, "Whose wedding?"

Dodging his mother's eye, Rick declared, "I am marrying Kate."

"Why do I think she doesn't know?"

His eyes full of glee, "It's a surprise."

"Have you revealed to Beckett what you know about her mother's murder?"

Gritting his teeth, Rick snapped at his mother, "No."

"Richard, this wedding is the dumbest and most dangerous idea you have ever had."

"Does that mean you won't come?"

"I didn't say that."

Crossing his arms to stare at this mother, "But you don't agree."

"If you love Beckett as much as you say you love her, you tell her what you know about her mother's case. I remember a certain someone who reacted rather poorly…."

Rick cut off his mother and let out an exasperated sigh, "Mother don't you want me to be happy?"

"Yes, which is why you need to tell her about your mysterious friend that pulls your strings like you're a marionette doll."

"He doesn't control me."

"Indirectly he does, he knows you will do anything to protect Beckett…" tapping Rick on the chest "…that is my dear boy is control."

Martha quickly followed Rick as he stomped angrily into his study, "Ah, Richard – I want you to be happy and Beckett is a good for you, but getting married without divulging what you know about her mother's murder, Roy's murder and god knows what else you haven't told me will not end well for you."

It pained Martha to see the desperation in her son's eyes as he attempted to justify his actions. "It's different now, Kate will understand."

Clasping her hands on his shoulders, Martha whispered, "If she will understand, then tell her before you marry her."

Rick curled his lips into a frown, his shoulders slumped forward, "Are you coming or not?"

Hugging him with all her might, Martha proclaimed, "Of course I will be there, I don't have to agree with you to support you."

* * *

><p>Castle's finger hovered anxiously above Kate's name on his favorites list. His finger twitched as he pressed down on her name. Closing his eyes to relax his breathing, Rick waited to hear her voice, it was light and cheerful. No customary <em>'Beckett'<em> just an intimate _'Hey'_.

"I thought I would call to say good night."

"Mmm, it would be _'good_' if you were here." Kate kept the _'in my bed'_ part of the sentence to herself.

Rick desperately wanted to invite himself over, but he had too many details to pull together before Saturday. In a rough voice he suggested, "I could make up for missing tonight by taking you to the Hamptons this weekend."

"This weekend?"

"We could leave the city around seven on Friday night."

Kate mulled over the invitation for a Nano second, "That should give us enough time to finish up the paperwork on our case."

"About tomorrow, I have a meeting at Black Pawn and won't be in." Castle desperately needed to talk his publisher out of an advanced copy of _'Frozen Heat.' _He knew they were printed and ready to ship, but his publisher was such a stickler about not giving out the hard copies until the release party.

Rolling her eyes at his paperwork allergy, Kate purred down the phone, "Well then I guess we'll need to settle for breakfast. Say five am? My place."

Arousal surged through Castle's body, "Why Detective Beckett are you inviting me over for a booty call?"

Her voice was clear and confident, "Yes."

Kate started laughing as she heard the sound of Castle's phone bouncing across the floor, followed by a few good swear words.

A breathless Castle resurfaced on the line, "Sorry, you surprised me."

"Sure you weren't just getting a little um, excited."

Grinning at the phone, Rick teased, "Every time I think of you naked I become overly stimulated."

"And here I thought you would have had that under control, after all haven't you been having naked thoughts about me for years?"

Rick responded with a chuckle, "Oh I have, but they are _SO_ much hotter and sexier now that I know the places to kisse you to make you let out those cute little moans or just were to touch you to make you quiver."

Relieved that Rick couldn't see her blush, Kate whispered, "Good night Castle."

He knew by the tone of her voice that she was having her own dirty thoughts. "Before you go, make sure to pack a dress or two for the Hamptons. I am taking you to a garden party."

"Garden Party?" Shit, Kate had a collection of little black dresses, even a few evening gowns, but hadn't bought a sun dress in years.

"The women dress up to look all springing and beautiful."

"I know how they dress Castle. Will there be a lot of people there?"

Crap, she didn't like his idea and she was asking questions, "A small intimate gathering at my place, nothing ostentatious about it."

"Your place? I thought you said you were taking me to a party, now you're hosting one?"

Does nothing get by her? Looking for a way out, Castle back peddled as he crossed his fingers and lied, "I'm not hosting one, they are using my beach front."

"You have a beach front?"


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter 19 – Frozen Heat**_

_**Disclaimer - not mine.**_

_**I so wanted to finish this story before the finale, I obviously failed. Here is a little tease of a chapter to see if you are interested in seeing where this story takes us.**_

Her bag was tucked in the back of the limo next to his. Her dress bag was resting neatly beside his suit bag. She was wearing Natural White Rachel Ray Origami Pocket Slim Crop Pants that Castle wanted to rip off of her body. But first he would need to slip her feet out of the black patent leather Enzo Angiolini platform pumps. Next he would help Kate slithered out of the mesh bandage top that hugged her in all the right places and teased him a view of her taunt abs and the edge of her breast. Damn her for not wearing a bra.

Castle's imagination was running away as he slipped a hand between her legs to rest comfortably on her inner thigh.

Kate shifted in her seat to accommodate and encourage his touch. She leaned over and whispered, "Maybe you should have the driver put up the partition. "

His finger jammed at the button to give them the privacy they would need. Castle double checked that the partition was locked, before handing Kate a copy of_ 'Frozen Heat.'_

Castle nervously gulped for air, "I need your approval on the dedication before the book goes to final print."

Kate looked at him with questioning eyes, she had distinctly different plans thatn looking at his new book. For a moment she debated dropping the book to the floor and pulling Rick in for a kiss, but his face was full of promise and his eyes were heated.

Running a delicate finger across the embossed title, Kate smiled and murmured, "I like the title."

Castle couldn't speak; he nodded his head in agreement and willed her to open the cover. Was he doing this the right way? Kate had said a proposal should be intimate and meaningful. Castle hoped he had gotten it right. Castle's books had brought them together, it just seemed right that a Nikki Heat book help him write the next chapter of their lives.

His heart beat accelerated as Kate opened the cover and flipped to the dedication.

Castle studied her face as she read it, looking for a sign, and a signal of acceptance.

Kate's eyes flitted up from the page to meet his. She quickly dipped her head as she read aloud:

"_To my wife, the remarkable KB." _Her voice stumbled over the word _'wife' _as her eyes shot upward to meet his gaze.

Rick read the handwritten note that he had scrawled below the typeset dedication, "_'Kate, Marry me? Love Rick.'_" His voice cracking as he finished.

Kate's hands clasped at the edges of book as she sat staring at the words before her. Her heart clenched causing a rippling spasm of happiness to pulsate from her heart throughout her body as she tried to digest the words he had written and spoken.

Castle felt for the ring box he had hidden under the seat, finding it, he slid to his knees and asked her again. "Kate, will you marry me?" This time his voice was strong and vibrant.

She felt his warm strong hand delicately lifting her left hand from where it rest on the book and lovingly slipping a ring on to her finger. Castle lightly tugged on her hand, "Earth to Kate, have a look."

Through hooded eyes Kate dared to glance at the ring circling her finger as she whispered, "I don't know what to say."

"Yes, would be a good place to start."


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter 20 - Mrs. Cas..**_

_**Disclaimer - yada yada yada - not mine.**_

_**Thanks for the reviews the story will keep going.**_

Have you ever had that moment in life when the world stops spinning? You struggle to determine if you are awake or dreaming? Your heart pounds out a hardy _'YES'_ and your overthinking brain tosses out roadblocks of _'It's too soon.'_? Have you ever wanted to turn back the clock, allow yourself the time to control your mouth and answer as you should? If you have, you have entered the mind of Kate Beckett.

* * *

><p>Rick feels a drop of sweat drip down the tip of his nose; it lands on the inside of his wrist. Kate is going to say <em>'no', <em>he just knows it.

With hunched shoulders he slides back into the corner of the limo seat. Rick punches the power button to allow fresh air to swirl around the car; looking out the window he wonders how he could have been so wrong.

Rick's confidence oozed out of his body with each additional bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Sharing an ironic smile with himself, he thought - '_sweat is better than tears'._ He knows Kate doesn't need to say _'no', _her MO is to say nothing rather than deal head on with personal conflict. Isn't that why she took a year to admit she heard him?

Gulping as he feels the steady squeezing of his hand, Rick wonders - why is she still holding my hand? The very hand that had slipped the ring on Kate's finger? How could she?

Kate reaches out with her free hand to brush her knuckles along his jawline and slowly turns his face to hers. Meeting his eyes, Kate slowly began mapping the edges of his lips with her fingers. Her touch radiates from his lips to his heart.

Kate slides across the remaining space between them. Her knees nudging his thigh, Rick shifts uncomfortably in his seat. Why is she touching him?

Rick stills as he locks eyes with Kate. She slowly, suggestively moves closer to him. Her eyes flicking from the newly placed ring on her finger to his lips to his eyes and back again. With feline grace and hooded eyes Kate leans in and whispers in his ear, "You, Richard Castle are the remarkable one."

Rick blinks his eyes in rapid succession, shifting in his seat to face her…is she going to say _'yes'_?

Kate skims her fingers over his lips one last time before bringing them to rest at the opening of his shirt. Her mouth hovers over his, Kate slowly inhales his air as he exhales, only to push her air back into his mouth. Castle instinctively runs his tongue over his lips in nervous anticipation of what's to come.

Kneeling on the seat next to him, Kate shyly murmurs, "Ask me again?"

Rick examines the coy smile playing at the corners of her mouth and the green -gold flecks in her hazel eyes are shining brightly. He asks with his eyes _'Why?'_

"So, I can answer you the way you deserve to be answered."

Rick gently pushed Kate back to her original seat. Picking up her hand he reaches for the ring he had just placed on her finger.

Flashing a wide flirty smile, Kate clenches her hand into a fist. "Um, you can leave that right there."

Rick's eyes dance with delight, she is so going to say _'yes.' _Dropping to one knee, clasping her hands between his, wearing a broad smile, "Katherine Beckett, I love you. I'm just a man hoping to spend the rest of my life pulling your pigtails."

Kate's smile radiates as Rick pulls himself up onto the seat beside her. Leaning in Rick hovers over her lips, teasing her as she had teased him, Rick breathes into her mouth, "Marry me?"

With the slightest blink of the eye to keep the tears from escaping, Kate rasped out, "Yes."

It was indeterminable who crashed into whose lips first,

the kiss was slow,

it was long,

it was wet,

It was deep,

it said 'till death do us part.

* * *

><p>Kate found herself pinned across the length of the backseat of the limo. Castle was sprawled across her. He was crushing her and it felt divine.<p>

Closing her eyes Kate deliberately hugged out a slow breath, reassuring herself it wasn't a dream. Kate opened her eyes to be greeted by piercing blue eyes and a cocky smile, she knew it was her new reality, "Hey handsome…are we really going to do this?"

Rick laughed out a "Yes."

Kate fingered the short hairs at the back of his neck, "Okay, then when?"

Ignoring her question, he slipped his hand under her shirt to draw circles around her belly button, "Do you have any idea how sexy you are going to look wearing nothing but my ring?"

Waving her ring finger in front of his face, "We can find out the minute we get to the Hamptons."

"THE minute? Like the minute I see the sign that says _'Welcome to the Hamptons'_? Because that means limo sex, my place is twelve minutes past the sign."

"Twelve minutes? That is all you're going to give me?"

Rick couldn't resist swiping his tongue along the column of her neck, accompanied by a little grind into her, "If you couldn't tell, I have been ready to go ever since you said _'yes'_ ."

Pulling him in for a kiss, Kate purred, "You, Mr. Castle appear to be _'always' _ready."

"Well, soon to be Mrs. Cas…" Rick choked on his words, did she want to by Mrs. Castle or would it always be _'Beckett'_?


	21. Chapter 21

_**Chapter 21- Detective Beckett**_

_**Disclaimer – silly little thing that it is, not mine.**_

_**Rated M for language.**_

Kate looked down at their intertwined fingers as Castle played with the ring on her finger. It was oddly erotic to watch him twirling the ring around her finger.

"Have I told you that you have excellent taste in rings?"

"You approve?"

"What girl wouldn't love it, it's gorgeous and unavoidable."

"Unavoidable?"

Smirking a bit, "Big, okay it's really, really big."

Laughing Castle answered, "That was Alexis' response."

Crinkling her brow, "What does she think of all this?"

Castle twisted in his seat to face Kate, "A hesitant thumbs up."

"Hmm, that sounds ominous."

"Not really, Alexis is cautious by nature. A lot like you, speaking of Alexis, she has decided to stay in New York."

Kate shot Castle a quizzical look, "Really?"

"Yes, Alexis told me she told you about Stanford."

Smiling, Kate responded, "Told you Alexis would tell you all in good time."

"I am still not sure if I should be jealous or mad."

"How about happy?"

"Happy?"

"Sure, that your kid trusts me enough to talk to me about important stuff and trusts that I won't tell you if she asks me not to. That has to count for something."

"Hmmpf."

Kate rolled her eyes at Castle's inability to agree, "Now tell me about New York."

Beaming he replied, "She picked Columbia."

"Good."

"Good? I thought you would find it kind of cool if she went to Stanford."

"Alexis picked Stanford because she was running from something not TO something."

"What else did she tell you?"

Castle's jealous tone caused Kate to roll her eyes and smile, "Not too much, Alexis was worried that if she stayed in New York that you would keep smothering her."

Castle righted himself in his seat, "I smother her?"

"You need to let her move out and grow up without stalking her."

"Stalking?"

"Please, Alexis told me how for the first week of high school you parked your car across the street and watched the building all day. And that you insisted on driving her home."

"I was being responsible."

Kate burst out in a fit of giggles, "Oh, and Alexis shared how campus security knocked on your car window because they thought you were some kind of perv watching young girls."

Castle dipped his head in humiliation and shook his head, "Is nothing sacred between a father and a daughter?"

Reaching over to squeeze his bicep, "It's sweet, but no girl wants to come home with a boy and catch their dad loitering outside their dorm room." Leaning into drop a kiss on Castle's cheek, Kate whispered, "And that is what Alexis was running from."

"That's it right there; the whole bringing a boy back to the dorm room scenario, it makes me lose sleep at night."

Squeezing his arm again, "Ah, Rick it's going to happen, she wouldn't be normal if it didn't."

Clenching his fist and pounding it into his thigh, "I know, I know. I still remember dropping her off at kindergarten in her little plaid skirt, pigtails and Mary Jane's. The concept of growing up upsets me."

"Pretend she is living across the country and you'll do just fine."

"No, I won't. If you didn't know about Columbia, I am guessing you don't know about the rules."

"Rules?"

"Immediately after Alexis announced she had chosen Columbia she handed me a two page nicely typed and outlined list of rules. Rule #1 – No driving by campus or her dorm, Rule #2 – No unannounced visits, Rule #3 – Limit of 3 phone calls per day…you get the idea."

Dropping the tone of her voice to be a little nurturing laced with a bit of sexiness, "Rick would it help if I let you drive my place, welcome you with open arms when you show up unannounced and love that you call more than three times a day?"

"Um, no."

Was that a twinkle in his eye? "No?"

Smiling with purpose, Rick replied, "Personally, I was planning on living together once we are married."

Castle started gently rotated her ring, a little left and a little right, anything to play with it and watch the lights of the limo catch the glitter of the diamond.

Kate shook her head in disbelief, how could she forget she was engaged? Blushing a bit and clearing her throat, she tentatively asked, "So, um how long until we reach your place?"

Castle held out his arms so that Kate could pull back his sport jacket to expose his watch. He wasn't going to let go of her hand, the ring looked like a branding and he liked it. Looking at the time Castle announced, "Forty to forty-five minutes."

Kate smirked as she dropped his hand into his lap and wrestled her left hand away from him.

Castle pouted, "Hey, I was holding that hand!"

Ignoring him, Kate slid to the edge of her seat to slip out of her shoes. Next she grasped the hem of her shirt and leisurely pulled it over her head.

Castle balled his hands into tight fists. Damn, he was right…no bra. Steadying his brain, Castle rasped out, "I thought you said no limo sex."

Placing her neatly folded shirt on top of her shoes, Kate stretched out her legs, "Well, Mr. Castle…"

"Don't call me that."

Smiling with fake innocence, Kate murmured, "Why not?"

Shutting his eyes, "You know it gets me um, well you know."

"Excited? Aroused?"

"Yes and Yes." Did she have to use that sexy tone of voice? The one that made want to rip her clothes off?

Castle opened his eyes to see Kate feathering her fingers over the top button of her pants. He stripped himself of his sport jacket and tossed it onto Kate's lap. "Put that on."

Oh she had him. Knocking his jacket to the ground, Kate flicked her tongue over the edges of her lips and held his eyes with hers.

Castle's eyes had turned a molten purple, if there even was such a thing. "As I was saying, Mr. Castle – 12 minutes of limo sex doesn't sound appealing…" Tugging her zipper down to expose her lacey panties, "…HOWEVER, 40 minutes of we just got engaged love making is something that I can fully embrace. Interested?"

Rick's hands were reaching for her as he pitched forward and growled, "You have no idea."

* * *

><p>Relaxing into her back against his chest, wearing nothing but his sport coat, Kate let out a content little sigh, "Hopefully, that made up for <em>'no limo sex'<em> ."

Rick's chest rumbled with laughter, "Nope."

Kate quickly delivered a sharp elbow to the ribs, "You have got to be kidding."

Slipping his hands to her abdomen, "Nope, I still want to have hot dirty limo sex." Skimming his fingers along the dip in her hips, "You see, I want to tease you into it when you least expect it."

Kate swatted his hands away, "You put your hands were I can see them. I want to finish talking about Alexis."

Castle reluctantly withdrew his hands from her belly and placed them on top of the material of his jacket. "I would rather talk about how absolutely sexy you look wearing nothing but my coat and my ring."

Fighting to keep it together and not give into the sensual rumble in his voice, "And I would rather talk about Alexis."

Castle pouted but acquiesced, "Party pooper."

"Before you said Alexis gave us a hesitant 'thumbs up', I need to know what that means.

With twinkly teasing blue eyes he teased, "Alexis obviously loves me…."

Rolling her eyes, Kate squeezed his hand, "Can we get to the part about me, oops US?"

Now Castle's body shook with laughter, "Is that how it's going to be? All about you?"

"Hey now, I ended with an _'US'_?

"Yes, and 'us' may just be my new favorite word."

"Castle, give. You sound like you are avoiding the answer."

"Alexis likes you and as we already established loves me."

Castle took note of the frustration brewing in Kate's eyes, "Alexis is skeptical about our ability to communicate."

Kate burst out with a laugh full of relief, "Knew I liked that kid."

"Hey, hey – what's that mean?"

"Means she is right, we have spent too much time in the land of avoidance."

"Avoidance?"

"Well that sounded better than saying we are better at trusting each other with our lives then our hearts."

Cocking his eyebrow a bit, "You have a point." Tugging on the ring on her finger, "Correction, you had a point. I'd say we are communicating just fine now."

"Much improved, but we both know I should have trusted you enough to tell you that I heard you. You were capable and willing to understand that I needed time to get my shit together and that you would wait. WAY too much time was spent communicating via subtext over the past year."

Castle's heart clenched with guilt, Kate was right he didn't trust her. Part of him was scared to death that she would run straight into the eye of the storm if he told her about _'the deal' _to keep her safe. Or worse yet she would leave him. But he knew Richard Castle knew that if Kate said _'I do'_, she would stay with him and find a way to forgive him.

Stuffing his guilt back down his throat, Castle conceded, _"_You might have something there."

There was something in his voice that caused Kate's heart to stutter. The words were fine, but he was, he was…she wasn't sure what it was but her detective radar was going off.

Twisting out of Castle's arms to face him, she saw it. Maybe she was looking for it so she saw it but there was a hint, a flicker of worry in his eyes. "Castle are you holding out on me?"

Pretending to be confused, he shook his head, "No, Alexis is just worried that we will struggle with trusting each other."

"That's it?" Castle catches a glimmer of concern in Kate's eyes. She tried to school her face to remain blank and her eyes emotionless, but she blew it and she knew it. Kate knew it because Rick flinched. Why did he flinch?

Selecting her words carefully, "Well, I have put everything on the table, have you?"

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat Castle answered with a monotone, "Yes."

There it was again, a trace of something – was it guilt? Her gut was in overdrive, something wasn't right. "Would you like to try that answer again?"

Fuck. Kate wasn't going to drop it; she was in full on interrogation mode. The forward tilt of her head, her right hand forming a slight fist, eyes piercing him to his soul – Kate was gone and Detective Beckett was doing what she did best…digging for a confession.

There was only one word in Richard Castle's mind – fuck.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Chapter 22 – Addiction**_

_**Disclaimer – not mine.**_

_**M – last of the bad words. **_

Like a cornered cat; Kate hissed, "Stop the car."

Castle reached for her. Kate recoiled and ripped off his jacket, frantically pulling her shirt over her head and ramming her legs back into her jeans. Looking down she noticed she had ripped her shirt, being braless she needed his jacket.

With a look of disgust Kate yanked his sport coat out of his hands and reluctantly pulled it on. "Did you not hear me? Let me out."

"Kate?"

"Don't _'Kate'_ me!"

Castle winced, "Please let me finish."

She was pissed. She was beyond pissed she was seething with rage. Kate's voice had steely calm edge to it, "Finish? Finish! I had to fight with you to convince you that _'I loved you' _and…and all this time you had been hiding this from me. Talk about a sin of silence."

Crap. Did she say _'loved'_ and not _'love?' _"It's different, someone wants you dead. I'm protecting you."

"That's rich, but then you have always thought you had justifiable reasons to insert yourself into MY life. MY life Rick – not yours."

Kate's words stung like a vicious slap to the face. Appealing to her heart, Castle squeaked out an "I love you."

Jamming her finger into his chest, "Love? You call this love?" Letting out a cruel laugh, "All this time I thought I was the screwed up one who needed a shrink. Guess I was wrong."

Tears started streaming down her face as she twisted the ring off her finger. Placing the ring on the seat between them, "Will you please stop this car?"

The car rolled to a natural stop, Kate flung open the door and scurried out of the car. Castle realized he was only wearing his jeans and hastily pulled on his dress shirt before tumbling out of the car after her.

Standing in his driveway was his mother, Alexis and Jim Beckett.

Kate stood half way between the limo and the curious onlookers.

Jim caught the wild look in this daughter's eyes, taking purposeful steps towards his daughter; he gently called out, "Katie?"

It took a moment for the scene to register in Kate's mind; her dad was in the Hamptons at Castle's house. What was he doing here? What did it matter? He was her way out.

"Dad, take me home?"

Kate felt Castle's strong grip on her shoulder, she flinched at his touch. Turning her head to see his face, she snarled, "Let go."

"I can't, I won't"

Moving to stand toe to toe with Rick, Jim spat out, "Yes, you will."

Castle dropped his hand to his side as Jim Beckett glared at him and said, "Button up your shirt, boy."

Looking for a port in the storm his eyes flitted from Beckett to Beckett to Alexis to his mother, as he buttoned his shirt. His daughter's face was one of shock, his mother's face was a mixture of pity and _'What did you expect.' _

Martha linked arms with Alexis and whispered, "We should go inside."

Alexis dug her heels in and refused to move, "I can't leave him out here alone."

Looking at her son, Martha felt his pain. His heart was breaking in front of her. "Really, darling your father won't want us to witness this."

Alexis nodded numbly and allowed her grandmother to steer her into the house.

Castle demanded, "Kate look at me."

Kate turned to her father, "Daddy, please take me home."

Jim Beckett's heart crumbled, his daughter hadn't called him_ 'Daddy' _since her mother's funeral. Placing a protective arm around her shoulder as Jim ushered Kate to his car.

Castle shouted out, "Wait!"

The only sound Castle heard was the echoing of the Beckett feet crunching across his gravel driveway. In a last ditch effort to stop her, Castle lunged towards Kate, grabbing her by the coat pocket. She artfully twisted away and hopped into her dad's car.

The last words Kate heard as she slammed shut the car door were, "Don't quit on us!"

Jim Beckett's car spun out of the driveway leaving a wake of flying gravel to pepper Castle's chest.

Rick sunk to the ground; inspecting himself he came to the conclusion he was a pitiful sight. His shirt was buttoned haphazardly, he was barefooted and Kate was gone.

* * *

><p>The hand on his shoulder was most assuredly his mother's. "Richard, please come inside. It is cold and dark. Alexis is worried about you."<p>

Castle rose to his feet, "And you mother what about you? You are the one who told me to tell her."

Martha grimaced a bit, "My dear boy, you did the right thing. It was never going to go well. But then you knew that didn't you?"

Castle gritted his teeth and nodded his head, "She doesn't want me to protect her."

Linking arms with her son, Martha shepherded him towards the house, "Is that what she said?"

Should he tell his mother that all he can remember is the look of betrayal in her eyes? "She said _'Yes.'_"

"Ah, Richard, you knew you had to tell her first."

Scrubbing his free hand across his face, Rick mumbled, "I know, I know – for this brief moment in time I thought if we married she wouldn't run."

Opening the door and beckoning to the maid to fetch the luggage, Martha stated the obvious, "Would you want Kate to stay out of obligation or because she wanted to?"

* * *

><p>Jim drove a short way up the road before pulling off at an unrestricted beach access. Reaching under his seat he pulled out a flashlight and exited the car. Opening his daughter's car door he offered her his hand.<p>

He was relieved that she took his hand and accompanied him down the path. Standing silently looking out into the abyss of the ocean, Jim quietly asked, "What happened?"

"We got engaged."

Jim was relieved to hear sadness rather than anger in his daughter's voice. He took a stab at lightening the mood, "Doesn't look like it lasted long."

Kate chuckled; her dad's dry sense of humor always had a way of making her laugh. "Nope, not long, less than an hour."

"I think it might help if you tell me why."

Swiftly changing the subject she asked, "Why are you here?"

Jim smiled a bit, "Well, a certain young man, came to see me a few days ago and asked to marry my daughter."

Kate hesitated a moment, "He asked you?"

"Yes."

"Hmmpf." Kate shook the feeling of sentimentality from her brain, "Doesn't explain why you are here."

"I was invited to a wedding."

Kate shook her head in disbelief, "A wedding?"

"Yeah, yours and Ricks."

Kate crumpled to the cold damp sand and began aimlessly digging at that sand, "When?"

Jim squatted down beside his daughter, "Tomorrow, but I think we have more important things to worry about than a wedding."

Kate looked over at her father, her bottom lip quivering, "He…he, withheld information about mom's case." So many years had gone by and she still couldn't say the word 'murder' to her father. "Rick made a deal for my life. He said it was to keep me safe."

Jim didn't need any further explanation; everything with his daughter went back to his wife's murder. Everything.

"Sounds noble." Jim braced himself for the response, he knew his daughter and he knew her stubborn temper gave her undeniable strength and made her weak.

The anger crept back into her voice, "Noble?"

"Katie, you aren't going to like what I have to say."

Chewing on inside of her mouth Kate whispered, "Then don't say it."

Jim had waited years to have this conversation with his daughter. "You're mother's case is your bottle of scotch. I might have been the alcoholic but we both have an addiction."

Kate was determined to ignore the tears welling up in her eyes, "It is not the same."

"You're right, I quit my addiction and you haven't."

"That's not what this is about."

Jim Beckett owed his daughter an intervention, "Of course it is. Is it so wrong that a man who loves you wants to keep you safe? Katie you know someone wants you dead. You were given a second chance when you survived that bullet to the heart. And for what? So you can throw yourself in front of another bullet? How is that any worse than me going to a bar and spending the day nursing a bottle or two of scotch? There are many ways to waste a life and your mother wouldn't approve of either method."

So unfair, her dad played the mom card. Kate mumbled, "He should have told me."

"Maybe, selfishly I want you alive and if that includes clandestine deals to keep you safe I am all for it. If that means we never know what happened in that alley, I am at peace with it."

In a childlike whisper Kate asked, "How can you say that?"

Catching her hand in his, "Ah, Katie because I love you more than the need to know. Now we need you to love yourself more than your need to know. You deserve to be happy and if that means marrying Rick Castle then I say, marry him."

Jim tried to catch her eye and offer a smile, Kate denied him. "Katie, you need to put down that case as much as I needed to put down the bottle."

Jumping to her feet Kate stomped off into the darkness. He knew better than to chase his daughter, she was her mother, Kate needed time to work things through on a cerebral level before she would ever listen to her heart.

Jim slipped his phone out of his pocket; briefly contemplated his next move. Whether his daughter agreed right now or not Rick Castle was possibly the single best thing to ever happen to her.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Chapter 23 – Slowing Down**_

_**Silly little disclaimer - tricks are for kids. Not mine.**_

Rick dropped his mother's arm to ruffle the top of his daughter's head, 'How are you doing sweetheart?"

Clutching her notebook to her chest, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Try to convince himself more than his daughter, Rick smiled and said, "It will all work out. What are you working on?"

"I was going to call the vendors and…" Alexis winced as she said it, "…cancel things for tomorrow. Unless you don't think I shouldn't."

Smiling softly Rick nodded his head in agreement and bee-lined for his shower. Stripping off the clothes that carried the lingering scents that made up Kate; an unidentifiable perfume, a hint of cherries and a leftover musky trail of sweat from love making.

Standing under the pulsating hot spray Rick rolled the knots out of his neck – wondering how his heart would survive the pendulum of happiness to heartbreak.

Scrubbing at his body he washed the last of Beckett away. It was a strange ritualistic cleansing, therapeutic and heartbreaking at the same time.

Rick grimaced as he caught his reflection in the mirror as he toweled off. The trail of tiny love bites along his collar bone and the embarrassing large at the base of his neck meant he couldn't even wash Kate away. She had branded him.

* * *

><p>Running her fingers through her hair tangled by the night breeze, Kate wondered if her dad was right. - was she an addict?<p>

The case consumed her; haunted her and refused to let her go. She had cut herself off from old friends and build walls. The allure of finding her mother's killer had clouded her judgment, almost took her life. It defined her and drove her.

Of course she was an addict; she was her father's daughter.

Kate was itching to call Dr. Burke, he would be able to help her makes sense of the mess she was in. Kate could hear his self-assured smug monotone voice reverberating in her head, _'What do you want Kate?'_

Did she really need to call him?

* * *

><p>His phone flashed the name <em>'Jim Beckett'<em> on the caller ID. Rick willed himself to decline the call, he couldn't. A tentative "Jim?" escaped his lips as he answered the phone.

Rick heard a fatherly tone come down the phone as Jim asked, "How are you doing son?"

'_Son'_, Rick realized Jim Beckett was the only man to ever call him _'son.'_ He liked it. "Oh, I've had better days. How is she?"

"Pacing up and down the beach, about five minutes down the road from you, you should come talk to her."

Slumping into a chair beside his bedroom window, "Did she tell you what I did?"

"Only the highlights, I hear congratulations are in order."

"I don't follow."

"Well son, you proposed and she said yes. I'd say that was progress."

"She gave me back the ring."

"And?"

"Not much more to say."

"Really?"

Rick was speechless, what was it with the Becketts' and their use of the word _'really'_ that made him squirm?

Jim didn't let the silence on the end of the phone deter him. "Son, the other day you came to my home and asked to marry my daughter and if I recall you were looking for words of wisdom - weren't you?"

"Yes."

"And I told you what?"

"To always remember she is_ 'extraordinary'_."

"Have you forgotten that already?"

Rick stood and began to nervously pace around his room, "Impossible to forget."

"Good. She is. She needs a man like you to remind her of that from time to time."

Feeling foolishly optimistic Rick questioned, "Did she ask for me?"

Chuckling, Jim responded, "Now, Rick – I thought you knew my daughter better than that."

"I do." Rick groused, "Kate Beckett doesn't chase anything but killers."

"Hmm, with a woman like my daughter I'd say it was a sign that she slowed down long enough to get caught. That's how it was with Johanna and me."

Rick was growing tired of Jim's slow torturous chat, "No disrespect Jim, but is this conversation leading somewhere?"

Jim smiled to himself as he ignored the irriation in Rick's voice. "Being a best-selling author did you write your own vows?"

Rick shook his head as he answered, "Of course."

"Do you have them memorized?"

"Yes."

"Say them."

Rick's pacing picked up speed, "What?"

"I want to hear the vows."

Rick hesitated a moment before standing his ground, "I'm going to have to deny your request."

"Must not have been very good vows."

"They are great vows." Rick's head was spinning.

Jim was happy to hear _'are'_ and not _'were'_ – it was a sign. "Do you mean them?"

Sorrow wrapped his words as Rick huffed out, "I mean every single word of those vows."

"Then why are you giving up? Katie was going to have the same reaction to the news about your _'deal'_ after marriage. Yet, you were willing to marry her. Why?"

"I do know Kate. The Kate Beckett I know would never give up on a marriage."

"One and done."

"You know about that."

"She picked that up from her mother and I. Johanna and I had our share of disagreements over the years. Johanna would argue, roll her eyes and stalk off."

Rick smiled into the phone, he felt empathetic towards Jim having lived with two eye rolling Beckett women. "I may have seen a couple hundred of those eye rolls over the years."

"I bet you have, aren't they the best?" Jim missed his wife's eye rolls and the way they really said _'I love you, even if you drive me crazy.'_

"Anyway as Johanna would retreat from one of our fights she always, always turned her head to look over her shoulder and say _'one and done.'_ It was her way of saying _'give me time'_."

"Like Kate."

"Like Kate. And that Rick, is why my daughter is only five minutes from your house traipsing around the beach in the dark. She is working it out – she isn't running, she's slowing down so you can catch her."


	24. Chapter 24

_**Chapter 24 – Looks best here**_

_**Disclaimer – not mine.**_

Trying to warm herself against the night breeze, Kate slipped her hands into the pockets of Rick's coat. The fingers on her left hand curled around a small box. Pulling it from its resting place she noticed it was bigger than a traditional ring box.

Her fingers brushed over the top of the mini chest and hesitated a moment before opening. Kate was greeted by a neatly folded piece of paper nestled in the box. Drawing the paper out into view under the moonlight sky, she carefully shut the box while unfolding the paper. The title caused Kate to shudder. It said _'VOWS.' _

Even when he wasn't present Richard Castle had a way of pulling at her heart. Kate angrily balled up the piece of paper and tossed it towards the ocean. Why did he have to go and make a deal? Why didn't he tell her? They should have been in it together.

She knew why he made the deal and why he didn't tell her. Castle asked her not to look into the case for the same reason asked her dad to put down the bottle. Love.

The night's breeze blew back the crumpled piece of paper, it land at her feet. Kate knelt into the sand as she uncurled it. Hearing footsteps behind her, Kate reached her hand back and said "Dad? Flashlight?"

He dropped the flashlight into her waiting hand and stood silently watching her, praying she couldn't hear the sounds of his beating heart.

Shining the light onto the paper Kate began to mouth the words as she read, "I didn't need 247 days…"

Her heart clenched and unclenched, tears welled in her eyes. He was too much, just too much. How could she ever walk away from this man?

Kate wiped the tears from her cheeks and slid the box out from its hiding place. Shining the light into the box her eye caught the glint off of the matching platinum hammered wedding bands. Dropping the flashlight to the sand, Kate slipped the smaller of the two on her forefinger, holding it up towards the sky she whispered, "What do you think Mom?"

Kneeling beside her, Rick reached over and placed the wedding band on her ring finger, "I think it looks best here."

_**The end.**_

_**Obviously I didn't get this done before the season finale, but this would have been my cliff hanger. It would have been a nice long summer waiting for Kate's reaction. **_

_**Thanks for all the reviews and follows.**_


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